A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain
Summary
How animals detect Earth's magnetic field remains a mystery in sensory biology. Despite extensive behavioral evidence, the neural circuitry and molecular mechanisms responsible for magnetic sensing remain elusive. Adopting an unbiased approach, we used whole-brain activity mapping, tissue clearing, and light sheet microscopy to identify neuronal populations activated by magnetic stimuli in the pigeon (Columba livia). We demonstrate robust, light-independent bilateral neuronal activation in
Content
# A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain
*Published: 2026 Mar 12*
How animals detect Earth's magnetic field remains a mystery in sensory biology.
Despite extensive behavioral evidence, the neural circuitry and molecular
mechanisms responsible for magnetic sensing remain elusive. Adopting an unbiased
approach, we used whole-brain activity mapping, tissue clearing, and light sheet
microscopy to identify neuronal populations activated by magnetic stimuli in the
pigeon (Columba livia). We demonstrate robust, light-independent bilateral
neuronal activation in the medial vestibular nuclei and the caudal mesopallium.
Single-cell RNA sequencing of the semicircular canal cristae revealed
specialized type II hair cells that express the molecular machinery necessary
for the detection of magnetic stimuli by electromagnetic induction. Our data
support a model whereby electromagnetic input from the semicircular canals
activates a vestibular-mesopallial circuit in the pigeon brain.
DOI: 10.1126/science.aea6425