Valery Kanevsky of Ukrainian Institute of High Technology put forward a theory: Pigeons use the memory of gravity field near their dovecote to guide themselves. "I found that he solved this problem with a simple assumption: birds must have gyroscopes in their brains."
In order to prove this inference, the team first needs to prove that gravity anomalies rather than geomagnetic factors will cause problems for pigeons. Fortunately, the team's researchers know the location of such a gravity anomaly: a huge circular crater in Ukraine, where gravity is weaker than conventional gravity.
The research team speculated that flying over the crater may destroy the gyro navigation system in the pigeon and make it go in the wrong direction. They released 26 trained pigeons in batches in the middle of the crater, and each pigeon was equipped with a light GPS tracker.
18 pigeons returned successfully, and 7 of them were released in the right direction. They basically didn't deviate too much from the route and returned to the nest smoothly. However, other pigeons flying in any direction seem to get lost by the pit. When these birds fly over the second gravity anomaly area, they don't know their position either.
The researchers compared the flight paths of pigeons disturbed by gravity with those that were not hindered from returning home, and found that the flight paths of pigeons disturbed were much more dispersed, and they deviated from the course most seriously when they flew to the edge of the crater.
By comparing the gyro setting of the pigeon house with the gyro value of its position, the research team concluded that the pigeon set an initial return direction. However, some pigeons have set the wrong direction from the beginning, which makes it take them several days to correct their mistakes.
This experiment seems to mean that the perception of gravity plays an important role in pigeon navigation.
Extended data:
Pigeons and humans
1, flying pigeons pass books
Around 3000 BC, Egyptians began to send letters by pigeons. The earliest use of pigeons to establish a large-scale communication network began in Syria and Persia in the 5th century BC. By the 12 century, Baghdad had established information contact with all major towns in Syria and Egypt through pigeons, which was the only way to contact.
In Roman times, pigeons were used to convey the information of sports events such as the Olympic Games, which is why white pigeons were put in the opening ceremony of the modern Olympic Games. Before the telegraph appeared, the British usually used pigeons to convey the results of football matches.
The last carrier pigeon who carried out postal service retired in India in 2004 and then enjoyed his old age. China is also an ancient country with a long history. During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Guangzhou and other places in the south of China communicated with pigeons.
2. Airmail
The first organized carrier pigeon air service started at 1896, and the route was between New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef. The SS Wairarapa, which killed 134 people, sank near the Great Barrier Reef and was the catalyst for this service. As the disaster information could not reach New Zealand within three days, the direct result was that carrier pigeon service was opened between the two islands.
The first message was sent in 1896 65438+ 10, and arrived in Auckland after 1.75 hours. Each homing pigeon can carry up to 5 letters, of which the fastest delivery record is 50 minutes, and the average flight speed of that pigeon reaches125 km/h.
3. Dove of Love
In the distant past, pigeons were once regarded as messengers of love. For example, in Babylonia, the dove was a divine bird beside Sista, the goddess of love and education, and the girl was called "the dove of love" in her life.
People's Daily Online-Scientists Uncover the Mystery of "Gravity Map" Guiding Pigeons to Go Home or Home