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Researchers Train Goldfish to “Drive”
Researchers Train Goldfish to “Drive”
The Scientist spoke with cognitive neuroscientist Ronen Segev about how he taught goldfish to maneuver a moveable tank over land toward a visual target.
The Scientist spoke with cognitive neuroscientist Ronen Segev about how he taught goldfish to maneuver a moveable tank over land toward a visual target.
navigation
Biophysicist Adrianus Kalmijn Dies at 88
Chloe Tenn | Jan 11, 2022 | 2 min read
His work revealed that sharks use an electromagnetic sense to navigate and detect prey.
New Study Fuels Debate About Source of Birds’ Magnetic Sense
Catherine Offord | Jun 23, 2021 | 7 min read
A detailed analysis of cryptochrome 4 shows that the protein is highly sensitive to magnetic fields in vitro, but some researchers dispute the authors’ assertion that the findings could help explain avian magnetoreception.
Image of the Day: Flock in the Night
Amy Schleunes | Feb 19, 2020 | 1 min read
The National Weather Service’s radar in Key West captures a spectacular moment in bird migration.
Book Excerpt from Physical Intelligence
Scott Grafton | Jan 13, 2020 | 5 min read
In Chapter 2, “Surfaces,” author Scott Grafton describes the ancient process of action perception, which helps organisms navigate their environments.
Image of the Day: Virtual Landscape
Emily Makowski | Nov 25, 2019 | 2 min read
Flashing lights activate fly navigation neurons.
Image of the Day: Eel Compass
Emily Makowski | Oct 14, 2019 | 1 min read
Glass eels form a magnetic memory of their estuaries’ currents in order to migrate.
Making Sense of Magnetic Navigation
David Barrie | Jun 1, 2019 | 3 min read
A new book about remarkable feats of migration by animals explores the front lines of research into how they do it.
Contributors
The Scientist Staff | Jun 1, 2019 | 3 min read
Meet some of the people featured in the June 2019 issue of The Scientist.
Memories Can Distort the Brain’s GPS
Emma Yasinski | Mar 28, 2019 | 4 min read
Two independent studies in rats find grid cells, which form the brain’s map, are more plastic than thought and are subject to the influence of reward.
A Keen Sense of Smell Appears to Go Hand in Hand with Spatial Memory
Shawna Williams | Feb 1, 2019 | 3 min read
Authors of a small study say the two abilities likely evolved in tandem.
Mag-Neato!
The Scientist Staff | Aug 31, 2016 | 1 min read
Scientists are unraveling how animals use Earth's magnetic field to navigate.
Demystifying the Brain’s GPS
Tanya Lewis | Jul 12, 2016 | 4 min read
Studies in rodents are beginning to reveal how mammalian navigational sense works.
Behavior Brief
Karen Zusi | Jan 4, 2016 | 4 min read
A round-up of recent discoveries in behavior research
Biological Compass
Bob Grant | Nov 16, 2015 | 4 min read
A protein complex discovered in Drosophila may be capable of sensing magnetism and serves as a clue to how some animal species navigate using the Earth’s magnetic field.
Sensing North
Jef Akst | Apr 2, 2015 | 3 min read
“Blind” rats fitted with a neuroprosthetic device that stimulates the brain when the animals turn their heads to the north or south can navigate mazes as well as sighted rats.
Modifying Memories During Sleep
Anna Azvolinsky | Mar 9, 2015 | 3 min read
Researchers create a link between a location and a reward in sleeping mice.
“Inner GPS” Support
Anna Azvolinsky | Feb 5, 2015 | 3 min read
Grid cells—the neurons that function as a spatial navigation system—require input from another set of neurons, a rat study shows.
Turtle Magnetism
Jenny Rood | Jan 19, 2015 | 1 min read
Loggerhead sea turtles use the Earth’s magnetic fields to find their way home.
Python Auto-Pilot
Rina Shaikh-Lesko | Mar 20, 2014 | 1 min read
Invasive snakes in Florida show evidence of a compass sense they use to navigate back to home territory.