What Is a Magnetic Field?

By jamie

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Humans have been using compasses to navigate for a very long time. They can be trusted to point to true north no matter where you are in the world, and this is very valuable when it comes to getting your bearings. Other animals also use Earths magnetic field, but they don’t have compasses, at least not in the same way that we do.

Some species of birds, whales, turtles, and bees are able to detect the magnetic field and use it to navigate with. This is especially useful for animals that venture out and need to find their way back, and those that spend time in vast habitats such as oceans. It is not known how they do this, but it is thought that some animals have certain receptors that allow them to “see” the field.

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