Pigeons' proposed inner-ear compass runs into a noise problem

edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan

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Add as preferred source Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A pigeon turning its head might seem an unlikely electricity generator. Yet one proposed explanation for the bird's magnetic sense depends on exactly that: Turning through Earth's magnetic field would produce tiny electrical signals inside its ears. However, a theoretical study suggests that this miniature generator cannot supply directional information fast enough to work as a compass. The problem is electrical noise produced within the proposed sensor itself.