Cited by 215Electromagnetic Fields and Biological EffectsElectron Spin Resonance StudiesGeomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies

The quantum needle of the avian magnetic compass

Open access
Hiscock, Hamish G., Worster, Susannah, Kattnig, Daniel R., Steers, Charlotte, Jin, Ye, Manolopoulos, David E., Mouritsen, Henrik, Hore, P. J.·2016·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Significance: Billions of birds fly thousands of kilometers every year between their breeding and wintering grounds, helped by an extraordinary ability to detect the direction of the Earth’s magnetic field. The biophysical sensory mechanism at the heart of this compass is thought to rely on magnetically sensitive, light-dependent chemical reactions in cryptochrome proteins in the eye. Thus far, no theoretical model has been able to account for the <5° precision with which migratory birds are able to detect the geomagnetic field vector. Here, using computer simulations, we show that genuinely quantum mechanical, long-lived spin coherences in realistic models of cryptochrome can provide the necessary precision. The crucial structural and dynamical molecular properties are identified.

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Crossref · 10.1073/pnas.1600341113

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  • It has been suggested that the incredible accuracy of the compass is the result of avoided crossings of the spin energy levels of radicals formed in cryptochromes, a process that is genuinely quantum mechanical.

    “In response to this it has been suggested that the incredible accuracy of the compass is the result of avoided crossings of the spin energy levels of radicals formed in cryptochromes, a process that is genuinely quantum mechanical [99].”

    From The future of quantum biology (2018) · cites this paper as [99]

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1 of the 65 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. [45]Hore PJ. Nulcear Magnetic Resonance. Oxford Univ Press; Oxford, UK: 2015. [Google Scholar]
  2. [47]Rodgers CT. 2007. Magnetic field effects in chemical systems. DPhil thesis (Univ of Oxford, Oxford, UK)

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Authors
Hiscock, H. G., Worster, S., Kattnig, D. R., Steers, C., Jin, Y., Manolopoulos, D. E., Mouritsen, H., & Hore, P. J.
Affiliations
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg (DE)
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2016-04-04
Volume
113
Issue
17
Pages
4634-4639
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2338302371
Cited by
215
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 11 · 2014: 1
FWCI
14.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Durham Research Online (Durham University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • EC | European Research Council (FP7/2007-2013/ERC grant agreement no. 340451)
  • DOD | Air Force Office of Scientific Research (FA9550-14-1-0095)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (GRK 1885)
  • Volkswagen Foundation (Lichtenberg Professur)
  • EMF Biological Research Trust (BRT 15/50)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Electron Spin Resonance Studies
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies
Keywords
cryptochrome, migratory birds, spin coherence, coherent spin dynamics, quantum biology, electromagnetic noise
MeSH terms
Animals, Birds, Computer Simulation, Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation, Homing Behavior, Models, Biological, Models, Chemical, Quantum Theory, Radiation Dosage, Signal Transduction, Animal Migration, Cryptochromes, Magnetometry, Magnetic Fields

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