What and where are the body's magnetometers?

Hand, Eric

doi:10.1126/science.352.6293.1510

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Serious studies led by Kirschvink are beginning to investigate the human potential to sense magnetic fields (described by Hand 2016). Although we may not consciously perceive the geomagnetic field, we may unknowingly take advantage of it for our own direction sensitivity (Baker 1989), and human cryptochrome is sensitive to the earth’s magnetic field (Foley et al 2011).…”

Section: Approaches To Identify Magnetosensory Neurons and Receptorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for Magnetosensation

Clites¹,

Pierce²

2017

Annu. Rev. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Diverse animals ranging from worms and insects to birds and turtles perf orm impressive journeys using the magnetic field of the earth as a cue. Although major cellular and molecular mechanisms for sensing mechanical and chemical cues have been elucidated over the past three decades, the mechanisms that animals use to sense magnetic fields remain largely mysterious. Here we survey progress on the search for magnetosensory neurons and magnetosensitive molecules important for animal behaviors. Emphasis is placed on magnetosensation in insects and birds, as well as on the magnetosensitive neuron pair AFD in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We also review conventional criteria used to define animal magnetoreceptors and suggest how approaches used to identify receptors for other sensory modalities may be adapted for magnetoreceptors. Finally, we discuss prospects for under-utilized and novel approaches to identify the elusive magnetoreceptors in animals.

show abstract

Section: Approaches To Identify Magnetosensory Neurons and Receptorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for Magnetosensation

Clites¹,

Pierce²

2017

Annu. Rev. Neurosci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Our hypothesis is derived from the magnetite-based magnetoreception hypothesis. As mentioned above, magnetite crystals have been found in a large number of organisms [ 2 , 20 , 28 ], including birds [ 29 ], and have been described as being “strikingly similar to the MTB crystals” [ 2 ]. However, magnetite crystals have not convincingly been located within bird tissues or neuron cells [ 30 – 32 ] but instead appear to be extracellular contamination [ 32 ] or within macrophages [ 30 ].…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have suggested that the magnetic sensing organ is located in the ethmoid region of the head [ 20 ]. Within the eye orbit, there are several glands such as the Harderian and other lacrimal glands [ 34 ].…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, two not necessarily mutually exclusive hypotheses to explain magnetic-sensing in animals have been proposed [ 20 ]: ( i ) “ radical-pair ” based magnetoreception [ 21 ] and ( ii ) magnetite-based magnetoreception [ 2 ]. The “ radical-pair ” hypothesis suggests that following a short wavelength excitation, a specific molecule that contains two unpaired electrons, such as the cryptochrome protein, could serve as the sensor for Earth’s magnetic field.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast to MTB, no one has directly observed magnetite crystals serving as a ‘ magnetic-sensor ’ in animals [ 20 ]. This is despite repeated reported observations of magnetite crystals, in various taxa [ 1 , 2 , 18 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

The symbiotic magnetic-sensing hypothesis: do Magnetotactic Bacteria underlie the magnetic sensing capability of animals?

Natan¹,

Vortman

2017

Mov Ecol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field has evolved in various taxa. However, despite great efforts to find the ‘magnetic-sensor’ in vertebrates, the results of these scientific efforts remain inconclusive. A few decades ago, it was found that bacteria, known as magnetotactic bacteria (MTB), can move along a magnetic field using nanometric chain-like structures. Still, it is not fully clear why these bacteria evolved to have this capacity. Thus, while for MTB the ‘magnetic-sensor’ is known but the adaptive value is still under debate, for metazoa it is the other way around.In the absence of convincing evidence for any ‘magnetic-sensor’ in metazoan species sensitive to Earth’s magnetic field, we hypothesize that a mutualism between these species and MTB provides one. In this relationship the host benefits from a magnetotactic capacity, while the bacteria benefit a hosting environment and dispersal. We provide support for this hypothesis using existing literature, demonstrating that by placing the MTB as the ‘magnetic-sensor’, previously contradictory results are now in agreement. We also propose plausible mechanisms and ways to test the hypothesis. If proven correct, this hypothesis would shed light on the forces driving both animal and bacteria magnetotactic abilities.

show abstract

Magnetosensitive E‐Skins for Interactive Devices

Bermúdez

Makarov

2021

Adv Funct Materials

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Electronic skins (e‐skins) have established themselves as a versatile technology to restore or enhance human perception, and potentially enable softer robotics. So far, the focus has been mostly on reproducing the traditional functions associated with human skin, such as, temperature, pressure, and chemical detection. New developments have also introduced nonstandard sensing capabilities like magnetic field detection, to spawn the field of magnetosensitive e‐skins. Adding a supplementary information channel—an electronic sixth sense—allows humans to utilize the surrounding magnetic fields as stimuli for touchless interactions. Due to their vectorial nature, these stimuli can be used to track motion and orientation in 3D, opening the door to various kinds of gestural control for interactive devices. This approach to tracking provides an alternative or complement to optic‐based systems, which usually rely on cameras or infrared emitters, that cannot easily capture fine motion when objects are far from the source or the line‐of‐sight is obtruded. Here, the background, fabrication techniques, and recent advances of this field are reviewed; covering important aspects like: directional perception, geomagnetic field detection, on‐site conditioning, and multimodal approaches. The aim is to give the reader a general perspective and highlight some new avenues of research, toward artificial magnetoception.

show abstract

What and where are the body's magnetometers?

Abstract: Researchers debate the pros and cons of magnetite, a mechanical sensor, and cryptochrome, a chemical sensor.

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Identifying Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for Magnetosensation

Identifying Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms for Magnetosensation

The symbiotic magnetic-sensing hypothesis: do Magnetotactic Bacteria underlie the magnetic sensing capability of animals?

Magnetosensitive E‐Skins for Interactive Devices

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About