This is an experiment you can try at home. Take a simple magnetic compass and sitting on a swivel chair align yourself facing due north. Then relax and focus your attention on the sensations of your scalp. Gently swivel between north west and north east passing through magnetic north.
Can you feel a sensation which changes depending on your orientation relative to the north direction? It is very subtle and I can't be sure so I would like other people to try the experiment.
It would be a good experiment to try in a school class to see if children have a more pronounced sense of the direction of the magnetic field. If it is true that humans can sense the magnetic direction then this might explain how birds sense magnetic north for navigation.
Richard
Hello Richard Lewis
Two answers are already known =>
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/mar/18/humans-earth-magnetic-field-magnetoreception
The second is more promising since it seems that we use our eyes as birds
https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevornace/2018/04/04/we-finally-know-how-birds-can-see-earths-magnetic-field/?sh=5878605320e1
Bernard Delalande Thank you for the links. It is interesting to note that they were able to detect changes in the alpha wave pattern. This suggests that the detection mechanism is a “whole brain “ response.
I would tend to endorse the first idea linked. I don’t think it is some detection mechanism in the eyes. At least it doesn’t feel like that when you try the experiment listed in the discussion topic.
Thank you for your useful comment.
Richard
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