The study evaluated two decades of tracking records to determine how time-zone transitions impair avian solar navigation. Researchers discovered that birds flying across the Atlantic held flight paths matching predicted errors caused by internal clocks stuck on dawn time. Notably, the shearwaters maintained reliance on this distorted celestial compass even while passing recognizable coastal landmarks. While wider physical consequences remain unconfirmed, mistimed cycles could threaten feeding routines timed to dawn and dusk.
Key points
East-west ocean crossings disrupt the circadian rhythms of seabirds and impair their sun-…: East-west ocean crossings disrupt the circadian rhythms of seabirds and impair their sun-based navigation.
Circadian misalignment could disrupt natural feeding schedules that rely heavily on dawn…: Circadian misalignment could disrupt natural feeding schedules that rely heavily on dawn and dusk windows.
Adaptations developed by migratory seabirds to handle time-zone shifts could inform treat…: Adaptations developed by migratory seabirds to handle time-zone shifts could inform treatments for human jet lag.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Oct 30 : People who travel across many time zones, like a trip from London to Tokyo, may experience jet lag, with the body's internal 24-hour clock — the circadian rhythm — thrown out of sync with the local time at the arrival location. A new study shows that birds that fly long distances may experience a similar phenomenon that causes them to drift off course.
Research involving seabirds called Manx shearwaters found that crossing the Atlantic at speed can throw their internal clocks out of sync with local time, causing errors in the strategy they use to navigate their way home.
Birds can use several cues to find their way, including having the sun serve as a compass. A bird flying south sees the sun on its left at sunrise and on its right toward sunset, so it must keep adjusting its heading as the sun moves across the sky.
"Animals use an internal clock to do this, the same one that tells our bodies when to sleep, when to be active," said Patrick Lewin, a researcher at the…
Developmental cognitive limits often prevent young children from executing daily parental requests even when they fully comprehend the instructions. Psychologists note that competing distractions derail an immature prospective memory system, making it difficult to shift attention toward scheduled tasks. Recognizing these constraints helps families implement practical environmental supports rather than relying solely on repetitive verbal commands.
Microscopic and chemical analyses of artefacts from the Sanxingdui sacrificial pits reveal that the ancient Shu civilization regularly incorporated woven textiles into their Late Shang period religious ceremonies. Archaeologists found that these communities adorned and wrapped sacred bronze, gold, jade, and ivory items with fine mulberry fabric. This evidence demonstrates that complex textile production was an established ritual practice in Sichuan Province more than three millennia ago.
University of Sydney researchers evaluated the therapeutic properties of native sugarbag bee products against 16 different pathogens to uncover new treatments for drug-resistant infections. The natural substances demonstrated an antimicrobial potency on par with established medical-grade alternatives like Manuka honey. Because known active compounds do not explain these robust results, scientists are actively working to isolate previously unidentified molecules for future drug development.