Similar Posts
Another description of how animal navigation might work
In a recent address to RIN Dr Kate Jeffery of the Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience at University College London described a very complete structure for understanding animal navigation. See https://animalnav.org/navigation-networks-in-the-brain/ We at www.animalnav.org have been struggling with exactly these concerns. Prof Jeffery postulates that you need four things to create a navigation system A compass…
Olfactory landmarks and path integration converge to form a cognitive spatial map
This paper on olfactory landmarks is interesting as it covers the idea that the distinctive smell of a place can help navigation by creating a new landmark for helping an animal navigate. The recognition of a spatial landmark by its sensory features poses a problem for neural circuits. Fischler-Ruiz, et al. show how this problem…
Mystery of bird navigation system still unsolved
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn21688-mystery-of-bird-navigation-system-still-unsolved.html We have always said that the work of our hero David Kaeys is critically important in demolishing the magnetite cluster in the beak theory. This theory proposed that the magnetite group acted as a compass which enabled birds to sense the magnetic field and therefore use this for navigation. I am delighted that other…
Murmuration
http://vimeo.com/31158841 This video shows the amazing whorls and patterns made by a flock of starlings. You might see these over cities. These displays used to be common over London, and I think still are over Rome. Whilst there has been much scientific research and theories on why starlings do this, the contention is that the…
Avian Navigation
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17855194 Please look at this link as it covers important ground on Avian Navigation. You will see that one of our heroes David Keays has established that the magnetite structure in the beaks of pigeons does not exist. The magnetic theory still has problems because you cannot navigate using a compass without knowing where you…
The hippocampus of rats
Prof Kate Jeffery has done some very interesting work on how the hippocampus of rats processes navigational information. Scientists are clear that the hippocampus is critical for navigation but believe that it is only one part of a larger system that has many functions including recognising landmarks, computing distances and directions etc. and forming memories….