Physicists investigate the role of quantum entanglement in the magnetic compasses of animals
Monday, June 21, 2010 - 07:34
in Biology & Nature
(PhysOrg.com) -- Many animals possess some kind of magnetic sense, allowing them to navigate by using a magnetic field. The ability to detect a magnetic field, called magnetoreception, has been observed in a variety of animals, including birds, turtles, sharks, lobsters, cows, fungi, and bacteria. However, scientists do not fully understand the mechanisms responsible for this ability. In a new study, physicists have investigated the role of quantum interactions in magnetoreception, and have shown that quantum technologies could be used to enhance or reduce the performance of an animal`s chemical compass, and potentially control other biological functions.
