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This is really hard to understand in terms of how the eye works. Conventional sight works by detecting photons hitting the retina. But "seeing" a magnetic fie

This is really hard to understand in terms of how the eye works. Conventional sight works by detecting photons hitting the retina. But "seeing" a magnetic field seems like it would only work when the eye is literally inside of the field. Magnetic fields don't project or reflect off of things, they are where they are. The eye would have to be directly affected by the field to see it. And then they wouldnt be able to see parts of the field they are not currently in. Magnetic fields don't radiate anything, they ARE the radiation. It's like trying to see a laser that is not pointed at your eye. It's there, but it cant be detected because no photons from it are hitting your eye.

mygo 9y ago
you can see a laser that is not pointed at your eyes. Use fog. The atmosphere is known to diffuse the vectors of electromagnetic radiation. That’s how we get blue skies and red sunsets. Who says it’s not having the same effect on earth’s magnetic fields
- jugg1es 9y ago
  You are kind of proving my point though. With fog, you can see the laser because photons are bouncing off the fog and hitting your eye. This article isn't saying that photons are bouncing the magnetic fields and then hitting their eyes, they are saying the eyes can literally detect magnetic fields. If the birds were seeing magnetic fields via how they interact with photons, then everyone would be able to 'see' magnetic fields because we can all see photons. This is saying that the magnetic fields are directly visible by birds.
  - mygo 9y ago
    I’m aware that photons have to physically interface with the retina to be seen. You’re missing my point. Earth’s atmosphere acts like the fog as a laser travels through it — it diffuses the vectors, making them visible to an observer not along the path from the light source. When you look up at the clear sky during the day you don’t see the sun and then pure black space (and stars). Likewise the effects of the magnetic field interface with earth’s atmosphere. For example Earth's magnetic field deflects solar wind. The solar wind interacting with the magnetic field transfers some of its energy into earth’s atmosphere.
tim333 9y ago
You eye is literally in the earths magnetic field. That said I'm also having a job figuring how the mechanism would work.

mygo 9y ago

you can see a laser that is not pointed at your eyes. Use fog. The atmosphere is known to diffuse the vectors of electromagnetic radiation. That’s how we get blue skies and red sunsets. Who says it’s not having the same effect on earth’s magnetic fields

jugg1es 9y ago
You are kind of proving my point though. With fog, you can see the laser because photons are bouncing off the fog and hitting your eye. This article isn't saying that photons are bouncing the magnetic fields and then hitting their eyes, they are saying the eyes can literally detect magnetic fields. If the birds were seeing magnetic fields via how they interact with photons, then everyone would be able to 'see' magnetic fields because we can all see photons. This is saying that the magnetic fields are directly visible by birds.
- mygo 9y ago
  I’m aware that photons have to physically interface with the retina to be seen. You’re missing my point. Earth’s atmosphere acts like the fog as a laser travels through it — it diffuses the vectors, making them visible to an observer not along the path from the light source. When you look up at the clear sky during the day you don’t see the sun and then pure black space (and stars). Likewise the effects of the magnetic field interface with earth’s atmosphere. For example Earth's magnetic field deflects solar wind. The solar wind interacting with the magnetic field transfers some of its energy into earth’s atmosphere.

tim333 9y ago

You eye is literally in the earths magnetic field. That said I'm also having a job figuring how the mechanism would work.