Pigeons Navigate Using Iron in Liver

Scientists may have cracked the mystery of how pigeons navigate: a magnetic compass hidden in their liver, powered by iron-storing immune cells. When these cells were removed, pigeons got lost—suggesting they’re key to sensing direction. The cells are near nerve fibers that likely relay magnetic info to the brain, acting like a biological GPS. This system seems to work best on clear days, complementing their sun-based navigation. The discovery, published in Science, hints other animals like mice might use a similar setup—and pigeons probably have backup systems too. More research is needed, but this could be a major leap in understanding animal navigation. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/17d267280cc8461d