Birds may navigate using quantum entanglement

The old mystery of how birds navigate over long distances may have a much cooler answer than I ever guessed.

It seems they may exploit the weird physics of quantum mechanics, using a dedicated protein system, cryptochrome (read: advanced nanomachine), that lets them literally see the the Earth’s magnetic field.

Essentially, an incoming photon creates a set of entangled molecules. These molecules have related properties that also relate to the magnetic field, and can be detected by the protein.

If birds achieve this, they are probably maintaining coherence (superposition) for longer than the best human experimental efforts, requiring near absolute zero temperature.

See:

In the Blink of Bird's Eye, a Model for Quantum Navigation

Sustained Quantum Coherence and Entanglement in the Avian Compass