Global Positioning System Reference
In-Depth Information
of north as indicated by polarized light. Or it may switch from celestial
navigation, or from its sun compass, if clouds block the view, to magnetic
sensing or infrasound.
Many animals exhibit versions of all the various techniques for navigation
that we have developed through mathematics and technology over the past
3,000 years. Both humans and animals have watched the stars to know
where north is; we have both developed clocks and sun compasses, geo-
magnetic compasses, and sonar (and in our case also its electromagnetic
equivalent, radar). We have both developed mapping skills and piloting,
map-and-compass skills and dead reckoning algorithms, and have learned
to pool together navigational data from di√erent sources. The technologi-
cal skills of humans are directed—they are learned and improved upon by
intelligent application—whereas animal navigation evolved slowly over
evolutionary time, without direction. Thus, humans are poised to take over
the lead in this field. I wonder what the next 3,000 years will bring.
 
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