{"id":5580,"date":"2026-04-20T09:57:45","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/?page_id=5580"},"modified":"2026-04-24T14:05:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T12:05:24","slug":"animal-navigation","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/en\/startseite\/high-profile-areas\/animal-navigation\/","title":{"rendered":"Animal Navigation"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image align_left\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Slider_Tiernavigation_lang_1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Ein Steinschm\u00e4tzer Zugvogel macht Zwischenstation auf Helgoland w\u00e4hrend seiner Reise in sein \u00dcberwinterungsgebiet in Afrika.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Slider_Tiernavigation_lang_1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Slider_Tiernavigation_lang_1-300x94.jpg 300w, https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Slider_Tiernavigation_lang_1-1024x320.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_medium\"><\/div><nav class=\"g-breadcrumbs us_custom_50cc7d67 separator_icon align_left\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/BreadcrumbList\"><div class=\"g-breadcrumbs-item\" itemscope itemprop=\"itemListElement\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ListItem\"><a itemprop=\"item\" href=\"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/en\/\"><span itemprop=\"name\">Northwest Alliance<\/span><\/a><meta itemprop=\"position\" content=\"1\"\/><\/div><div class=\"g-breadcrumbs-separator\"><i class=\"far fa-angle-right\"><\/i><\/div><div class=\"g-breadcrumbs-item\">Pages<\/div><\/nav><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h1><span style=\"color: #264f7b;\">Animal Navigation<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row us_custom_1b5c7b67 height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-3 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3><span style=\"color: #264f7b;\">Sensory Mechanisms<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3>\n<span style=\"color: #264f7b;\">Quantum Biology<\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #264f7b;\">Future<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #264f7b;\">Technologies<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-9 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3><span>Every year, billions of animals travel precise navigational routes over enormous distances, transporting large amounts of biomass around the globe. They navigate using various sensory systems such as vision or a magnetic sense, which is thought to be based on quantum mechanical effects at ambient temperature. The goal of this research is to understand the biological mechanisms underlying animal navigation and to use these insights to drive innovation in technology, nature conservation, and society.  <\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small with_line width_default thick_1 style_solid color_border align_center\"><div class=\"w-separator-h\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-3 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column us_custom_6587bdcb\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h3 style=\"text-align: left;\">Disciplines<\/h3>\n<p>Biochemistry<br \/>\nBiology<br \/>\nBioinformatics<br \/>\nChemistry<br \/>\nComputer Science<br \/>\nPhysics<br \/>\nPolitical Science<br \/>\nEconomics<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-9 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><p>The focus is on an interdisciplinary approach that combines biology, physics, chemistry, computer science, and the social sciences. The research is divided into several closely related areas: the biological foundations of navigation and the sensory systems involved, potential quantum effects in biological processes at ambient temperature, the ecological and conservation implications of animal migrations, and the development of models for bio-inspired technical systems. <\/p>\n<p>Important research structures are located at the University of Oldenburg, particularly the <a href=\"https:\/\/uol.de\/en\/academic-research\/research-center-neurosensory-science\">Research Center Neurosensory Science<\/a>, which houses the Collaborative Research Centre \u201cMagnetoreception and Navigation in Vertebrates\u201d and the <a href=\"https:\/\/navisense.org\/\">Cluster of Excellence \u201cNaviSense,\u201d<\/a> among others. The University of Bremen will contribute additional expertise in engineering and materials science.  <\/p>\n<p>An international network that includes the University of Groningen, Lund University, and the University of Oxford is bolstering the research. Together, they are investigating fundamental questions such as how a quantum-based magnetic sense works \u2013 from the spin of individual electrons to biochemical processes and neural coding. <\/p>\n<p>The researchers also want to find out how animals define their home. This knowledge could help successfully reintroduce rare species. Another key question is how to develop technical systems that enable precise navigation even without GPS. The combination of leading biomimetic robotics in Groningen with engineering expertise in Bremen maximizes the translational potential of this area of focus.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row us_custom_ccf248bf height_small with_img\"><div class=\"l-section-img\" role=\"img\" aria-label=\"Image\" data-img-width=\"\" data-img-height=\"\" style=\"background-image: url(https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/EXU_Kompass_315Grad_weiss.svg);background-position: center right;background-repeat: no-repeat;background-size: contain;\"><\/div><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2 style=\"text-align: left;\">Key Research Initiatives<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"w-separator size_small\"><\/div><div class=\"g-cols wpb_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-6 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/navisense.org\">Cluster of Excellence \u201cNaviSense\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/uol.de\/aktuelles\/artikel\/wie-lichtverschmutzung-die-orientierung-von-nachtfaltern-stoert-12826\">ERC Starting Grant Lightstar<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-6 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sfb1372.de\/\">\u201cMagnetoreception and Navigation in Vertebrates\u201d (CRC 1372)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-4 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><h2>Spokespersons of the Focal Research Area<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section><section class=\"l-section wpb_row height_small\"><div class=\"l-section-h i-cf\"><div class=\"g-cols vc_row via_flex valign_top type_default stacking_default\"><div class=\"vc_col-sm-4 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"w-image has_ratio align_none meta_simple\"><div class=\"w-image-h\"><div style=\"padding-bottom:56.25%\"><\/div><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/NaviSense_Henrik-Mouritsen_Copyright-Daniel-Schmidt-Uni-Oldenburg-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"Portrait photograph of Henrik Mouritsen, smiling in front of a green background\" loading=\"lazy\" \/><\/div><div class=\"w-image-meta\"><div class=\"w-image-title\">\u00a9 Daniel Schmidt\/Uni Oldenburg<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_col-sm-8 wpb_column vc_column_container\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"wpb_text_column\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><blockquote>\n<p>Our scientific mission is to provide a deep, interdisciplinary understanding of the senses and mechanisms used by animals to navigate and how these mechanisms can inspire technology and impact society, ecology, and biodiversity. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Professor Henrik Mouritsen, University of Oldenburg<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Northwest AlliancePagesAnimal Navigation Sensory Mechanisms Quantum Biology Future Technologies Every year, billions of animals travel precise navigational routes over enormous distances, transporting large amounts of biomass around the globe. They navigate using various sensory systems such as vision or a magnetic sense, which is thought to be based on quantum mechanical effects at ambient temperature....","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"parent":3716,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5580","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Animal Navigation - Northwest Alliance<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The goal of this research is to understand the biological mechanisms underlying animal navigation and to use these insights to drive innovation in technology, nature conservation, and society.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/northwest-alliance.de\/en\/startseite\/high-profile-areas\/animal-navigation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Animal Navigation - 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