A new type of radical-pair-based model for magnetoreception.

Journal article

Certain migratory birds can sense the Earth's magnetic field. The nature of this process is not yet properly understood. Here we offer a simple explanation according to which birds literally see the local magnetic field through the impact of a physical rather than a chemical signature of the radical pair: a transient, long-lived electric dipole moment. Based on this premise, our picture can explain recent surprising experimental data indicating long lifetimes for the radical pair. Moreover, t...

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Authors: Stoneham, A; Gauger, E; Porfyrakis, K; Benjamin, S; Lovett, B

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Biophysical journal
• Volume: 102
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 961-968
• Publication date: 2012-03-01
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2012.01.007
• EISSN: 1542-0086
• ISSN: 0006-3495
• Language: English
• Keywords: Models, Biological; Time Factors; Magnetic Fields; Animal Migration; Radio Waves; Free Radicals