b'Biological geomagnetic field sensingFeatureStudies in this field span a number of different specialisations, such as magnetobiology as a subset of bioelectromagnetics, which then also includes biomagnetism\x08 A full understanding of the research, therefore, requires a good level of cross-disciplinary knowledge\x08 For example, three of the authors of Wang et al (2019), were a neuroengineer, a cognitive neuroscientist and a geophysical biologist\x08The findings reported here in relation to the human brains subconscious reactions to magnetic fields equivalent to the GMF are hopefully the start of further fascinating revelations in this area\x08ReferencesBainbridge, C\x08, Rodriguez, A\x08, Schuler, A\x08, Cisneros, M\x08 and Vidal-Gadea, A\x08 G\x08, 2016\x08 Magnetic orientation in C\x08 elegans relies on the integrity of the villi of the AFD magnetosensory neurons, Journal of Physiology-Paris, 110 (3) 76-82\x08Evans, M\x08E\x08 and Heller, F\x08, 2003\x08 Environmental Magnetism- Principles and applications of enviromagnetics: Academic Press, 299 pp\x08 ISBN 0-12-243851-5\x08Gilder, S\x08 A\x08, Wack, M\x08, Kaub, L\x08, Roud, S\x08C\x08, Petersen, N\x08, Heinsen, H\x08, Hillenbrand, P\x08, Milz, S\x08 and Schmitz, C\x08, 2018\x08 Distribution Figure 3.A top and side view of one of the brains mapped showing contourof magnetic remanence carriers in the human brain\x08 Scientific lines and areas of intensity strongest at the base of the stem (from Gilder et al,Reports, 8 (1)\x08 doi: 10\x081038/s41598-018-29766-z2018). Kirschvink, J\x08 L\x08, Jones, D\x08 S\x08 and MacFadden, B\x08 J\x08, 1985\x08 Magnetite biomineralization and magnetoreception in magnetic field to be manipulated while the brain wavesorganisms-A new biomagnetism. Plenum Press, New York\x08 were monitored by EEG\x08 Changes in the activity in the brainISBN 0-306-41993-9\x08were mapped in detail with 64 electrodes\x08 Movement ofMann, S\x08, Sparks, N\x08H\x08, Walker, M\x08M\x08 and Kirschvink, J\x08 L\x08, 1988\x08 volunteers was avoided to prevent spurious brain signalsUltrastructure, morphology and organization of biogenic related to that\x08 Manipulations of the field were thus obliviousmagnetite from sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka: to the participants and the strength of the field was of theimplications for magnetoreception\x08 Journal of Experimental order of the Earths field\x08 In all cases, as the EEG data revealed,Biology, 140, 35-49\x08the response to field changes were directly observed by theNatan, E\x08 and Vortman, Y\x08, 2017\x08 The symbiotic magnetic-sensing brain, leaving no doubt that a connection was being made\x08hypothesis: do Magnetotactic Bacteria underlie the magnetic However, the participants were completely unaware of the fieldsensing capability of animals\x08 Movement Ecology, 5(1), 22-26\x08 changes and their brain responses\x08 Thus, there is evidence thatdoi: 10\x081186/s40462-017-0113-1these particular participants, at least, have magnetic sensorsNatan, E\x08, Fitak, R\x08 R\x08, Werber, Y\x08 and Vortman, Y\x08, 2020\x08 subconsciously sending signals to their brains7\x08 Symbiotic magnetic sensing: raising evidence and beyond\x08 It is of interest that changes in brainwave patterns werePhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological different among participants\x08 Does this suggest that someSciences, 21 pages\x08 doi:10\x081098/t5tb\x082019\x080595\x08people are more responsive to the GMF than others? SuchNicholls, H\x08, 2016\x08 Animal Magnetism\x08 New Scientist, 17/24/31 differences between individuals may be something that couldDecember 2016, 44-46\x08be exploited in future\x08 Rodgers, C\x08T\x08 and Hore, P\x08J\x08, 2009\x08 Chemical magnetoreception in birds - The radical pair mechanism\x08 Proceedings of the Also, it should be noted that these findings have been ofNational Academy of Sciences of USA, 106(2), 353-360\x08 doi: interest to military organisations\x08 In particular, the research10\x081073/pnas\x080711968106described above was partly funded by DARPA, the research andVidal-Gadea, A\x08 G\x08, Ward, K\x08, Beron, C\x08, Ghorashian, N\x08, Gokce, development agency of the U\x08S Dept\x08 of Defense\x08 S\x08, Russell, J\x08, Truong, N\x08, Parikh, A\x08, Gadea, O\x08, Ben-Yakar, A\x08 and Pierce-Shimomura, J\x08, 2015\x08 Magnetosensitive neurons Concluding remarks mediate geomagnetic orientation in Caenorhabditis elegans\x08 eLife Sciences Publications Limited, 4, e07493\x08Where possible, I have emphasised the most recent research inWang C\x08 X\x08, Hilburn, I\x08 A\x08, Wu, D-A\x08, Mizuhara, Y\x08, Couste, C\x08 P\x08, this decades-long subject (for example, August 2020) and haveAbrahams, J\x08 N\x08 H\x08, Berstein, S\x08 E\x08, Matani, A\x08, Shimojo, S\x08 and also preferred papers from reputable sources (Royal Society ofKirschvink, J\x08 L\x08, 2019\x08 Transduction of the geomagnetic field UK and National Academy of Sciences USA)\x08 as evidenced from alpha-band activity in the human brain\x08 The author particularly acknowledges the use of previouslyeNeuro, 6 (2)\x08 doi:10\x081523/ENEURO\x080483-18\x082019published material reproduced in Figures 1, 2 and 3\x08 The sourcesWiltschko, R\x08 and Wiltschko, W\x08, 2019\x08 Magnetoreception in for this material are referenced below\x08 birds\x08 Journal of Royal Society Interface, 16 (158)\x08 doi: 10\x081098/rsif\x082019\x0802957The authors report that these results have already been replicated using a different group of volunteers and are soon to be published\x08FEBRUARY 2021 PREVIEW 36'