The Magnet Mystery

"The moon governs the sex lives of many of the creatures and plants in the world. . . The moon exerts its influence on the seas twice each day in the form of tides. Many creatures therefore move in this twelve hour cycle. . .Porcupines, for example, feed for longer periods as the moon wanes. Birds, too, are influenced by the moon. Lapwings, which usually feed by day and roost by night, have nocturnal feeding orgies at full moon and consequently feed less during the day at that time. The influence of the moon manifests itself in other ways. Antlions, which build pits to trap insects, vary the size of their traps according to the phases of the moon. The volume of the pit is greater when the moon is full. No one understands exactly why -- or to what advantage --- antlions synchronize their hunting activities in this way with the phases of the moon. . . .

The list of living things that detect and respond to the earth's magnetic field is increasing daily. Scientists have discovered that many creatures, including bacteria, algae, primitive flatworms, limpets, termites, honeybees, salmon, tuna, sharks, toads, salamanders, sea turtles, birds, whales, dolphins, rodents, and higher mammals, including humans, can all sense and respond to the powerful pull of the earth's magnetic field. . ." p47

"In 1837, scientist Andrew Crosse attempted to create silica crystals by passing an acidic solution through a lump of iron oxide, causing a reaction that produces electricity. After two weeks, Crosse noticed tiny white protrusions on the surface of the electrified oxide. Accoding to his reports, over the next few weeks Crosse watched the protrusions increase in number, grow legs, and eventually detach from the iron and walk away.. ." p35

excerpts from "Secrets fo the Natural World: Quest for the Unknown" ISBN 0-89577-498-4