How quantum mechanics help birds find their way

Some birds can sense Earth’s magnetic field, using it to navigate. But precisely how they do this has long remained a mystery. Now, researchers have confirmed that a protein found in bird eyes displays a quantum mechanical phenomenon which makes it sensitive to magnetic fields. The researchers suggest this mechanism could be behind birds’ magnetoreception abilities. Read the paper: Read more: Sign up for the Nature Briefing: An essential round-up of science news, opinion and analysis, free in your inbox every weekday: