Extremely low frequency magnetic field distracts zebrafish from a visual cognitive task
Ziegenbalg L, Güntürkün O, Winklhofer M · 2025
The 0.06 mT magnetic field impaired zebrafish learning during a visual avoidance task.
Plain English Summary
Researchers trained adult zebrafish to avoid a green LED light spot while exposing some groups to a sinusoidal magnetic field at 0.3 Hz with intensities of 0.015 mT and 0.06 mT. The 0.06 mT magnetic field reduced learning performance and altered response behavior despite the visual cue being sufficient to drive avoidance. The authors suggest that extremely low frequency magnetic fields of Earth-strength amplitude can act as cross-modal distractors diverting attention from nonmagnetic sensory cues.
Why This Matters
The study notes that electromagnetic fields from power lines and subsea cables are considered disruptive for animals that rely on the natural magnetic field for orientation. The authors emphasize the need to investigate anthropogenic magnetic fields as sensory pollutants beyond magnetic orientation.
Show BibTeX
@article{ziegenbalg_l_gntrkn_o_winklhofer_m_ce4624,
author = {Ziegenbalg L and Güntürkün O and Winklhofer M},
title = {Extremely low frequency magnetic field distracts zebrafish from a visual cognitive task},
year = {2025},
}