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Science Cows and deer head north, literally
Science Cows and deer head north, literally | Cows and deer head north, literally |
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| by William Atkins | |
| Thursday, 28 August 2008 | |
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Page 3 of 3 Other possibilities, though discounted by the researchers, could be temperatures (it might keep them cooler in hot temperatures and warmer in cold temperatures), winds (cattle tend to face the wind), fences (positioning of borders, etc.), and other such factors. The researchers conclude, “Our findings open horizons for the study of magnetoreception in general and are of potential significance for applied ethology (husbandry, animal welfare). They challenge neuroscientists and biophysics to explain the proximate mechanisms.” Humans may also have such directional abilities. Studies with humans camping, for instance, could find out if they prefer to sleep in one particular direction at night--say, northward. For now, the researchers are studying sheep, goats, horses, wild boar, and other deer species with respect to the affect that the magnetic field of the Earth might have on their positions.
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