The secret to pigeons’ incredible navigation was hiding in their liver
A new study suggests that homing pigeons use specialized immune cells in their livers to detect Earth's magnetic field for navigation. These macrophages accumulate iron, allowing them to act as biological sensors for magnetic perception.
Why it matters
This discovery solves a long-standing biological mystery regarding animal migration and introduces a new understanding of how immune cells can function as sensory organs.
How pigeons can travel hundreds of miles and still find their way home has puzzled scientists for decades. New research suggests the answer may lie in an unexpected place: the liver.
Objective reporting on biological research.
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