Why Pigeons Are Able to Navigate so Superbly!

The Magnetic Organ

In 1975, a researcher noticed that the bacteria he was studying always clustered at the north side of their culture dish. Even if he turned the dish so that they were at the south end and left it overnight, the next morning the bacteria were back at the north side. Each bacterium contained a chain of tiny magnets! The magnets were actually crystals of the natural magnetic mineral magnetite, the original lodestone of preliterate peoples. Somehow, the bacteria absorbed the soluble components from the water and put them together in their bodies as the insoluble crystalline chain. In 1971, another researcher reported on a lengthy series of experiments with pigeons. He found the same crystals of magnetite, as a submicroscopic mass located on the surface of the pigeon's brain. He found that the mass of crystals was full of nerve fibers that seemed to go into the brain. The magnetite crystals "tell" the pigeon's brain the exact direction of the Earth's magnetic field, and the pigeon uses this information to navigate with its amazing precision. The salamander has two separate magnetic navigational systems. One provides a simple compass, so that when traveling "cross country," it will go in a straight line. The other system enables it to return to the exact spot where it was hatched from its egg in order to mate and lay more eggs. The human "magnetic organ" has been found in the posterior wall of the ethmoid sinus, just in front of the pituitary gland. Humans have an innate ability to sense the direction of magnetic north, and this ability can be blocked by placing a bar magnet against a person's forehead for only fifteen minutes! The directional sense is disturbed for as long as two hours after application of the magnet. It is a sense organ that informs the organism of the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. Nature has provided us with yet another organ that also senses the field and extracts even more significant information from it.

Read the entire article here.

The Unethical Behavior of Chinese Scientists

Chinese scientists said they have succeeded in an experiment to remotely control the flight of a pigeon with electronic technology.

Scientists with the Robot Engineering Technology Research Center of east China's Shandong University of Science and Technology say they implanted micro electrodes in the brain of a pigeon so they can command it to fly right or left or up or down.

The implants stimulated different areas of the pigeon's brain according to signals sent by the scientists via computer, and forced the bird to comply with their commands.

It's the first such successful experiment on a pigeon in the world, said the chief scientist Su Xuecheng.

The electronic signals resemble the signals generated by the brain which control body movement, said Su.

Su and his colleagues are improving the devices used in the experiment ahd hope that the technology can be put into practical use in future.

Su conducted a similar successful experiment on mice in 2005.

Source: Xinhua

New York Pigeons Detected at PA Tourist Market

Several license plate numbers have been observed and identified as belonging to New York pigeon netters at Roots Market which is located in the tourist area of Lancaster County, PA. where our pigeons are auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Please write to the following people and ask them to investigate the situation at Roots Market so they can put an end to this illegal activity. It is against the law to bait and trap pigeons without a license and against the law to traffic pigeons over state lines. The New York Bird Club has emailed Roots Market with an inquiry, but have received no reply.

Write to:

PA Senator Mike Brubaker (R-Lancaster) mbrubaker@pasen.gov.
He also serves as Committee Chairman of the PA Agriculture Committee

PA Governor Edward G. Rendell
ra-govnews@state.pa.us

Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau
info@padutchcountry.com

Root's Country Market & Auction, Inc.
705 Graystone Road
Manheim, PA 17545
(717) 898-7811
marketmaster@rootsmarket.com

Reference: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/230823

New York pigeons are also used as shooting targets at pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania.

Reference: http://www.hsus.org/wildlife_abuse/campaigns/contests/pennsylvania_pigeon_shoots.html