With the development of modern society, people’s communication relies more and more on electromagnetic waves. With numbers of signal towers built up, people are having unprecedented convenience in data transfer. However, the large-scale modification of those infrastructures has largely affected some animal’s regular life. According to a study by a German team, our electrical devices have disrupted bird’s navigation.
Anthropogenic electromagnetic noise disrupts magnetic compass orientation in a migratory bird
The study researched on the influence of the equipment plugged into mains electricity and AM radio signals on animals’ internal compass. According to their study, some birds have the ability to migrate halfway around the earth with the help of the tiny geomagnetic field, so even the smallest change of the magnetic field would disrupt the birds’ sense of direction. As a result, the growing use of electricity and wireless communication may lead to a huge impact on the animals. As Prof Mouritsen said, “A very small perturbation of these electron spins would actually prevent the birds from using their magnetic compass”.
However, one thing is interesting that despite the fact that the electromagnetic field has been changed, most birds and animals can still find their way back. According to the scientists, these animals have another 2 “compasses”: a star compass and a sun compass.