Many animals can actually see the magnetic fields of Earth, know all about them

Birds might actually see magnetic fields

Birds are some of the most fascinating navigators on the planet. Species like the European robin rely on a special light-sensitive protein in their eyes called cryptochrome 4, which may let them “see” magnetic fields while flying, especially during migration.

Scientists believe this process happens at a quantum level, using radical pair reactions to create a kind of sixth sense that works only in the presence of light.

This idea isn’t new, researchers have been studying bird navigation for decades, but recent findings are helping piece together how birds manage such extraordinary journeys with such precision

Sharks, rays, and fish have built-in sensors

Sharks and rays detect magnetic fields in a completely different way. They use a network of tiny gel-filled pores on their snouts called the Ampullae of Lorenzini.

These pores are sensitive to electric and magnetic signals in the water, acting like a biological GPS system. This helps them not only hunt, but also migrate across oceans with unerring accuracy.

Sea turtles are legendary navigators (file)

Sea turtles and salmon use magnetic maps

Sea turtles are legendary navigators. They can travel across oceans for years and still return to the beach where they hatched. How? They’re thought to use a form of magnetic mapping, picking up on subtle variations in the Earth’s magnetic field to find their way.

Salmon use a similar trick. When they return from the ocean to spawn in the river where they were born, they rely on the Earth’s magnetic imprint of that river, memorised during their early life stages.

Insects, lobsters, and even slugs are in on it

Monarch butterflies are known to migrate up to 3,000 miles, guided by both sunlight and magnetic cues.

Honeybees, termites, ants, and even fruit flies have been shown to respond to magnetic stimuli, often through forms of cryptochrome-based sensing.

Some sea slugs (like Tritonia exsulans) have neurons that react to magnetic fields, helping them orient themselves underwater.

Spiny lobsters have a magnetoreceptive ability that helps them stick to straight paths during long migrations.

Dogs, foxes, and other mammals might sense it, too

You’ve probably seen your dog spin around before settling down to sleep—but did you know dogs (and other mammals like foxes, wolves, and bears) might actually be aligning themselves with the magnetic field?

Research has found the presence of cryptochrome 1 in the eyes of these animals, suggesting they might be subtly influenced by geomagnetic cues, especially when hunting or traveling. In fact, foxes have been observed to have better success catching prey when they pounce facing northeast.

Even cows and deer often align their bodies north-south when grazing or resting, without any conscious reason for doing so.

Bacteria and worms are surprisingly magnetic

Some single-celled bacteria called magnetotactic bacteria form chains of magnetic crystals called magnetosomes inside their cells. These structures help them move along magnetic field lines to find environments with the right oxygen levels.

In another fascinating example, a microscopic worm called C. elegans has been found to possess a tiny sensor in its neurons that responds to magnetic fields, potentially the first actual magnetic sensor structure ever discovered in an animal.