Michaela Rehle/Reuters
A US scientist believes he has discovered clear evidence of a lost human ‘sixth sense’ – one similar to that which enables animals to navigate the globe by detecting magnetic fields.
For years, planetary scientist Joseph Kirschvink has been trying to find a definitive answer to a hotly debated theory that suggests humans have an in-built magnetically guided ‘compass’ sense.
The California Institute of Technology researcher acknowledges the topic of ‘magnetoreception’ is scientifically controversial, since the theory has “been something of a romping ground for quacks and charlatans.”
In 2001, a research team led by Kirschvink described magnetite-based magnetoreception as an “attractive hypothesis to explain long-distance animal migration.”
“Earth’s magnetic field is the only geophysical signal that gives consistent information about position and direction at virtually all times and in all environments,” stated the team’s paper explaining the background to the phenomenon.
Animals have been found to possess subtle magnetic detecting power in previous studies. A 2003 scientific paper, in which Kirschvink was also involved, […]
