Solar Storms , May Impact Bird Migration, , Study Suggests.<br />'Scientific American' reports that new research <br />suggests that the same solar storms responsible for <br />the Aurora Borealis can interfere with bird migration. .<br />'Scientific American' reports that new research <br />suggests that the same solar storms responsible for <br />the Aurora Borealis can interfere with bird migration. .<br />The study found that nocturnally-migrating birds are less <br />likely to fly and more likely to drift following disturbances <br />to the planet's magnetic field caused by solar storms.<br />The study found that nocturnally-migrating birds are less <br />likely to fly and more likely to drift following disturbances <br />to the planet's magnetic field caused by solar storms.<br />We really didn’t know what we would <br />find at all, because at face value, <br />[linking] space weather and bird <br />migration sounds kind of wacky, Ben Winger, senior author and ornithologist at <br />the University of Michigan, via 'Scientific American'.<br />But we do know that birds <br />use the magnetic field, and the <br />magnetic fields do get disrupted, <br />so there ought to be a relationship, Ben Winger, senior author and ornithologist at <br />the University of Michigan, via 'Scientific American'.<br />The research suggests that space weather <br />can impact Earth's magnetic fields in ways <br />that humans are unable to perceive.<br />The research suggests that space weather <br />can impact Earth's magnetic fields in ways <br />that humans are unable to perceive.<br />Humans don’t perceive these magnetic <br />fields, so we don’t perceive a magnetic <br />storm the way we would a weather storm,<br />and so we have no idea that there’s <br />something going on that’s a problem, <br />whereas it turns out that birds are <br />perceiving an actual disturbance, Ben Winger, senior author and ornithologist at <br />the University of Michigan, via 'Scientific American'.<br />Humans don’t perceive these magnetic <br />fields, so we don’t perceive a magnetic <br />storm the way we would a weather storm,<br />and so we have no idea that there’s <br />something going on that’s a problem, <br />whereas it turns out that birds are <br />perceiving an actual disturbance, Ben Winger, senior author and ornithologist at <br />the University of Michigan, via 'Scientific American'.<br />It suggests that these things happening<br />in space that seem like they’re not <br />relevant to Earth actually are, Ben Winger, senior author and ornithologist at <br />the University of Michigan, via 'Scientific American'.<br />The study compared 23 years of radar data from across <br />the U.S., finding a notable decrease in the number of <br />birds migrating during increased geomagnetic activity.<br />The study compared 23 years of radar data from across <br />the U.S., finding a notable decrease in the number of <br />birds migrating during increased geomagnetic activity.<br />The team's findings were published <br />on October 9 in the 'Proceedings of <br />the National Academy of Sciences.'
