Tag Archives: Eart’s magnetic field

Animal magnetism – Nature’s own satellite navigation system

Migrating sea turtle swimming

The Earth produces its own magnetic field, which emanates from its magnetic inner iron core. On the Earth’s surface the magnetic field is extremely weak compared to the permanent magnets used in many every day appliances. At the magnetic poles the Earth’s magnetic field is approximately 0.7 Gauss compared to the Gauss value of a relatively small 10mm diameter x 5mm thick N42 neodymium magnet which can reach 5100 Gauss.

It is this magnetic field that makes a compass point north but for many species, the Earth’s magnetic field has a much more profound role…

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