Mangetoreception, or the ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field, is basically a superpower.
Just as the ancient Minoans of Crete used the stars for maritime navigation, birds today migrate with the help of Earth’s magnetic field.
Bar-tailed Godwits—famous for their longest-known non-stop migration journeys—use the magnetic field to help them figure out their current positioning in addition to where they should head next. And although this isn’t the first time scientists have looked at mangetoreception (also called magnetoception) in birds, we still don’t have a clear understanding of how these animals are able to tap into the magnetic field and make use of it.
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