Dogs Use Earth’s Magnetic Field to Take Shortcuts

Dogs appear to perceive Earth’s magnetic fields and use them to navigate unfamiliar terrain, according to a study published in eLife. Dogs fitted with GPS trackers found their way back to their owners along the same route they had taken, presumably using scent; along a new route, taking short north-south jogs along the way; or with a combination of the two. The north-south jogs are thought to have allowed the dogs to reorient themselves to find their way back.