Information storing by biomagnetites

TL;DR

This paper hypothesizes that biomagnetites in living cells, especially in migratory birds, may record information about Earth's magnetic field, suggesting a biological function related to navigation.

Contribution

It proposes a novel hypothesis that biomagnetites can store information about Earth's magnetic vector potential, linking biophysical properties to biological navigation.

Findings

Biomagnetites are present in living organisms.

Biomagnetites may record Earth's magnetic information.

Potential role in avian navigation.

Abstract

Since the discovery of the presence of biogenic magnetites in living organisms, there have been speculations on the role that these biomagnetites play in cellular processes. It seems that the formation of biomagnetite crystals is a universal phenomenon and not an exception in living cells. Many experimental facts show that features of organic and inorganic processes could be indistinguishable at nanoscale levels. Living cells are quantum "devices" rather than simple electronic devices utilizing only the charge of conduction electrons. In our opinion, due to their unusual biophysical properties, special biomagnetites must have a biological function in living cells in general and in the brain in particular. In this paper we advance a hypothesis that while biomagnetites are developed jointly with organic molecules and cellular electromagnetic fields in cells, they can record information about the Earth's magnetic vector potential of the entire flight in migratory birds.