A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

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 (<i>Columba livia</i>). 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.

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Publication Details

Journal
Science
Published
2025-11-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aea6425
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.90
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article

A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

Simon Nimpf, Lukas Landler, Spencer D. Balay, Erich Pascal Malkemper et al.
3 citations
Science
Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
4.90
article

A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain

Simon Nimpf, Lukas Landler, Spencer D. Balay, Erich Pascal Malkemper, David A. Keays, Grégory C. Nordmann, Christoph Leeb, Thamari Neranjana Kapuruge, Marco Numi
article en
3 citations

Abstract

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 (<i>Columba livia</i>). 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.

ScienceVol. 391(6790)
Natural History Museum Vienna (AT), Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (AT), University of Cambridge (GB), Vienna Biocenter (AT), Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (DE), Institute of Zoology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK), Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology of Behavior – caesar (DE), Medical University of Vienna (AT), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE)
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
4.90
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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A global screen for magnetically induced neuronal activity in the pigeon brain — Simon Nimpf, Lukas Landler, et al. · Science (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS