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Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers, say researchers

Phys · · 816 words · By Max Planck Society
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What to know about Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers, say researchers

Researchers have published a study in the journal Science suggesting that pigeons use iron-rich macrophages in their livers to sense Earth's magnetic field for navigation. The study combined lab tests and behavioral experiments to show that pigeons lose their sense of direction on overcast days when these cells are removed.

Propaganda risk 0%
Claims checked 14
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center75%
Right25%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Pigeons navigate using magnetic sensors in their livers, say researchers Sadie Harley Scientific Editor Robert Egan Associate Editor How pigeons fly hundreds of kilometers and still find their way home has long fascinated people.

Why it matters

Now, researchers say a surprising answer may be hidden, not in the brain or eyes of birds, but in the liver.

Common ground

A study published in Science suggests that special cells in the liver of pigeons can sense Earth's magnetic field, giving the birds an internal compass.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Researchers have published a study in the journal Science suggesting that pigeons use iron-rich macrophages in their livers to sense Earth's magnetic field for navigation. The study combined lab tests and behavioral experiments to show that pigeons lose their sense of direction on overcast days when these cells are removed.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-pigeons-magnetic-sensors-livers.html

analyticsAnalysis

0%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 8
schedule Pending 4
info Single Source 1
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “Electron microscopy showed that the iron-rich macrophages sit close to nerve fibers”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 2: “Prof. Christian Kurts, Director at the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology at the University Hospital Bonn, and one of the study's co-senior authors.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (EurekAlert!, ResearchGate, and news articles) confirm Prof. Christian Kurts is a co-senior author and Director at the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology at University Hospital Bonn.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Christian Kurts (born 27 November 1964 in Helmstedt, Germany) is a German immunologist and nephrologist.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Kurts
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kurt Hans Biedenkopf (German pronunciation: [kʊʁt ˈbiːdn̩ˌkɔp͡f] ; 28 January 1930 – 12 August 2021) was a German jurist, academic teacher and politician of the Christian-Democratic Union (CDU) party.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Biedenkopf
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of Christians in science and technology. People in this list should have their Christianity as relevant to their notable activities or public life, and who have publicly identified them…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christians_in_science_…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “Without these cells intact, pigeons could not navigate home, the study shows.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including EurekAlert! and the Science paper summary, state that these cells are required for finding magnetic direction and that pigeons could not navigate home without them.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 · We propose that in homing pigeons, superparamagnetic macrophages in the liver are required for finding magnetic direction. Related Research ...
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady2486
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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 · Homing pigeons don't rely on gut instinct to return to the roost. But a nearby organ — the liver — might point the way. White blood cells in the ...
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/pigeon-navigation-iron-l…
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web search NEUTRAL — But, without the cells intact, the study shows pigeons could not navigate home. Study co-senior author Christian Kurts, director at the Institute of ...
https://themercury.com/news/national/pigeons-navigate-using-…
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Claim 4: “A study published in Science suggests that special cells in the liver of pigeons can sense Earth's magnetic field, giving the birds an internal compass.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources (EurekAlert!, 'The secret to pigeons' incredible navigation', and others) confirm a study published in Science regarding liver cells sensing Earth's magnetic field.
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web search NEUTRAL — Take online courses on Study.com that are fun and engaging. Pass exams to earn real college credit. Research schools and degrees to further your education.
https://study.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Master any subject with Studley AI. Trusted by more than 1,000,000 top students. Create beautiful and interactive notes, flashcards, quizzes and podcasts from any content. Study smarter, not harder.
https://www.studley.ai/
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web search NEUTRAL — How do you want to study? Master whatever you’re learning with Quizlet’s interactive flashcards, practice tests, and study activities.
https://quizlet.com/
info
Claim 5: “Of all the tissues examined, the liver showed the highest concentration of iron.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general study is corroborated, the specific claim that the liver had the 'highest concentration' among all tissues examined is not explicitly confirmed across multiple independent reports in the provided evidence; the provided NIH/Mayo Clinic results are general medical info, not specific to this pigeon study.
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web search NEUTRAL — ... iron. Hepatocytes are the major site for ferritin synthesis, however most cells that have been assessed can synthesize ferritin to a smaller degree (12, 167).
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3936199/
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web search NEUTRAL — ... Hepatic Iron Concentration) and Histologic Grading ... Previous studies have demonstrated the heterogeneous distribution of iron in liver tissue.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002368372…
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web search NEUTRAL — Fe (Iron). Hemochromatosis. Hepatic Iron Concentration. Hepatic Iron Index. Iron (Fe). Iron, Tissue Liver. Metals, Tissue. Quantitative Iron.
https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/overview/8350
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Claim 6: “After the macrophages were removed, pigeons lost their sense of direction on overcast days when the sun was obscured.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
The provided evidence mentions that pigeons cannot navigate without the cells, but does not specifically detail the 'overcast days' or 'sun obscured' condition in the provided snippets.
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Claim 7: “As part of this process, they accumulate iron, giving them quantum properties that may allow them to respond to magnetic fields.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that these macrophages accumulate iron, providing them with superparamagnetic properties that allow them to respond to magnetic fields.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... Electron microscopy showed that the iron-rich macrophages sit close to nerve fibers, suggesting a pathway for magnetic information to reach the ...
https://www.mpg.de/26511515/pigeons-navigate-using-magnetic-…
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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 ... Together, these findings confirmed that pigeon liver contains macrophages that accumulate iron, providing them with superparamagnetic properties ...
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ady2486
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web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 ... "Iron is crystallized in oxide nanoparticles making the cells superparamagnetic and reactive to magnetic fields. We found by far the strongest ...
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260529043640.h…
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Claim 8: “Iron is crystallized in oxide nanoparticles, making the cells superparamagnetic and reactive to magnetic fields.”
CORROBORATED
Although listed as 'No evidence found' in the summary section, the evidence for Claim 2 explicitly contains the quote: 'Iron is crystallized in oxide nanoparticles making the cells superparamagnetic and reactive to magnetic fields.'
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Claim 9: “When the sun was visible, however, the pigeons successfully navigated home, likely using solar cues.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 10: “Clivia Lisowski et al, Homing pigeon navigation relies on superparamagnetic macrophages under overcast conditions, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.ady2486.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 11: “The team included immunologists from the University of Bonn and the University Hospital Bonn; physicists from the University of Duisburg-Essen; and ornithologists at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (MPI-AB).”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including the University of Bonn's own site and EurekAlert!, list the specific collaborating institutions: University Hospital Bonn, University of Bonn, University of Duisburg-Essen, and Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_university_hospitals
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The University Hospital Bonn is a maximum care hospital with more than 1306 planned beds. Our more than 8,500 employees perform tasks in research, teaching and patient care as well as in public health…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Hospital_Bonn
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The University of Bonn, officially the Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (German: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn), is a public research university in Bonn, North Rhine-Westp…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Bonn
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 12: “The special cells, known as "macrophages," are immune cells that break down old red blood cells.”
CORROBORATED
Three independent web sources explicitly state that the cells are macrophages that break down old red blood cells and sequester iron.
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web search NEUTRAL — May 28, 2026 · ... macrophages broke down old red blood cells and sequestered their iron atoms. Could similar immune cells be playing a role in homing pigeon ...
https://www.science.org/content/article/mind-blowing-iron-ri…
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web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · Researchers found that these cells, called macrophages, accumulate iron while breaking down old red blood cells. The iron gives the cells ...
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260529043640.h…
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web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · Special immune cells in the liver, called macrophages, accumulate iron as they break down old red blood cells. Scientists had previously ...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1428691319294377
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Claim 13: “Prof. Martin Wikelski, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the other co-senior author of the study.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources confirm Prof. Martin Wikelski is a co-senior author and Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Margaret Chatham Crofoot (born 1980) is an American anthropologist who is a professor at the University of Konstanz and the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. Her research considers the behavior…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Crofoot
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Max Planck Institute for Ornithology (German: Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, abbreviated MPIO) was a non-university research institution under the sponsorship of the Max Planck Society. As …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Planck_Institute_for_Ornit…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (German: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e. V.; MPG) is a formally independent non-governmental and nonprofit association…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Planck_Society
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 14: “Simon Spiro et al, Getting home in the dark, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aeh9507”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.