Access
This article is part of Nature's premium content.
Published online 26 November 2004 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news041122-13
News
Magnetic field benefits bacteria
Weak magnetism shown to affect chemical reaction inside cells.
Can magnetic fields affect living creatures? Scientists have spent decades trying to understand how migrating birds might sense the Earth's magnetic field, but have never isolated the biochemical reactions responsible.
Others believe that the magnetic fields produced by electrical power lines might be harmful, yet no one has found convincing proof of how magnets could have a biological effect.
To read this story in full you will need to login or make a payment (see right).
Comments
Reader comments are usually moderated after posting. If you find something offensive or inappropriate, you can speed this process by clicking 'Report this comment' (or, if that doesn't work for you, email redesign@nature.com). For more controversial topics, we reserve the right to moderate before comments are published.