Migratory birds and other such creatures can navigate vast distances to annual retreats and nesting sites because they are endowed with magnetoreception. Dr. Walcott explains the biological adaptations that enable the connection to Earth’s magnetic field. He describes his pioneering work on the homing pigeon, one of the major sources of evidence for magnetoreception. Dr. Walcott also discusses some other interesting sensory mechanisms, such as spiders that “hear” with their legs. IMAGE CREDIT: BBC & treehugger.org
At Cornell, Charles Walcott served as Director of the Ornithology Laboratory for 14 years, then Director of the Division of Biological Science, Associate and then Dean of the University Faculty, and later the University Marshal.