4 ms·
I read once that carrier pigeons go only one way (back home). How does this work?
by achairapart 11y ago
I read once that carrier pigeons go only one way (back home). How does this work?
- dogma1138 11y agoMaybe some one finally took Project Pigeon and applied it... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pigeon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Pigeon
- quinndupont 11y agoYup, it's a one way service. Here's a brilliant (long) read on the wild ways of pigeons: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/05/magazine/the-pigeon-king-and-the-ponzi-scheme-that-shook-canada.html http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/05/magazine/the-pigeon-king-a...
- hguant 11y agoI live in City A and want to send messages to my friend in City B. We both have a coop of carrier pigeons on our respective roofs. We meet up one day, and swap a number of pigeons. Now, if I want to talk to my friend, I just go up to my pigeon coop, select one of his pigeons, attach my message, and let the bird fly home. It's like swapping private keys, except it can only happen in person.
- FilterSweep 11y agoWhen you exchange the number of pigeons, do they need to observe the travel back to City A to set directional bearings, or do you need to keep them in darkness so they will return to City B out of pure instinct? Apologies for my ignorance, asking for myself and a friend....
- hguant 11y agoAccording to this [1] nature article, homing pigeons have an innate sense of where 'home' is and can use the Earth's magnetic field to point themselves in the right direction, thanks to iron in their beaks. They don't need to 'learn' the path, like some migratory birds - they have a built in GPS. Which is kind of neat, when you think about it. [1] http://www.nature.com/news/2004/041122/full/news041122-7.html http://www.nature.com/news/2004/041122/full/news041122-7.htm...
- oneeyedpigeon 11y agoAnd if you attach one of your own pigeons as a passenger with every message you send ...