~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Raelian Movement for those who are not afraid of the future : http://www.rael.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Pigeons' Sixth Sense Eludes Scientists http://zen-haven.dk/pigeons-sixth-sense-eludes-scientists/ Behavioural studies show that pigeons are able to detect magnetic fields. Finding the cells that are responsible for this magnetic sense has eluded scientists. But in 2003, German-led researchers reported iron-rich magnetoreceptors in six locations of the pigeon's beak. The team reported finding nerve cells rich in magnetite and haematite, which are highly magnetic. Shaw and colleagues carried out detailed histological examinations in 270 pigeons but could not confirm these findings. "We've done a very robust detailed study of the entire beak region and found nothing of the sort," says Shaw. Instead, the researchers found different forms of iron that are only weakly magnetic. They also found the iron was present in macrophages, not nerve cells. Both findings mean the structures identified by the German research are "highly unlikely" to be magnetoreceptors, says Shaw. "We're not saying there isn't a magnetoreceptor there somewhere, but we're saying the cells that had been previously described as magnetoreceptors are not them." Pigeons for science Shaw emphasises the animals sacrificed in the study were killed in a humane way. He says the research is important because of what it can reveal about the "sixth sense" of magnetic field detection. "It's one of those fundamental questions in biology that has persisted for many many years now," says Shaw. He says the research could help understand problems such as the stranding of whales, which also detect magnetic fields. Zoologist, Professor Mike Walker of the University of Auckland in New Zealand has about 30 years studying the ability of animals to detect magnetic fields. Walker says the original German research was faulty and should not have passed peer review. By contrast, as one of the reviewers on the new research, he is absolutely convinced by its findings. He says animals like birds are full of iron in the blood and it is very difficult to distinguish magnetite in this context. "It's a classic magnetic needle in a haystack full of iron," says Walker. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WARNING FROM RAEL: For those who don't use their intelligence at its full capacity, the label "selected by RAEL" on some articles does not mean that I agree with their content or support it. "Selected by RAEL" means that I believe it is important for the people of this planet to know about what people think or do, even when what they think or do is completely stupid and against our philosophy. When I selected articles in the past about stupid Christian fundamentalists in America praying for rain, I am sure no Rael-Science reader was stupid enough to believe that I was supporting praying to change the weather. So, when I select articles which are in favor of drugs, anti-semitic, anti-Jewish, racist, revisionist, or inciting hatred against any group or religion, or any other stupid article, it does not mean that I support them. It just means that it is important for all human beings to know about them. Common sense, which is usually very good among our readers, is good enough to understand that. When, like in the recent articles on drug decriminalization, it is necessary to make it clearer, I add a comment, which in this case was very clear: I support decriminalizing all drugs, as it is stupid to throw depressed and sad people (as only depressed and sad people use drugs) in prison and ruin their life with a criminal record. That does not mean that there is any change to the Message which says clearly that we must not use any drug except for medical purposes. The same applies to the freedom of expression which must be absolute. That does not mean again of course that I agree with anti-Jews, antisemites, racists of any kind or anti-Raelians. But by knowing your enemies or the enemies of your values, you are better equipped to fight them. With love and respect of course, and with the wonderful sentence of the French philosopher Voltaire in mind: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Ethics" is simply a last-gasp attempt by deist conservatives and orthodox dogmatics to keep humanity in ignorance and obscurantism, through the well tried fermentation of fear, the fear of science and new technologies. There is nothing glorious about what our ancestors call history, it is simply a succession of mistakes, intolerances and violations. On the contrary, let us embrace Science and the new technologies unfettered, for it is these which will liberate mankind from the myth of god, and free us from our age old fears, from disease, death and the sweat of labour. Rael ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tell your friends that they can subscribe to this list by sending an email to: subscribe@rael-science.org - - - To unsubscribe, send an email to: unsubscribe@rael-science.org - - -
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