Mole rat's magnetic magic revealed
Found on New Scientist on Monday, 19 January 2004
The blind mole rat continually monitors its direction using the Earth's magnetic field when it makes long underground journeys, new research has revealed. It is first animal discovered to have this talent.
How animals use magnetic compasses is not well understood. But some research suggests that it relies on magnetite crystals located next to the animals' olfactory region.
"Even we may have this system," Kimchi speculates. "There are said to be people who spend a lot of time in caves, who can find the direction of magnetic north in the dark."
That would be a nice addon, if we could use it at will. No more need for GPS.