http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm

" Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their 
bodies in a north-south direction.
Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently 
gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "

(kim)

In message 
          "kim"  wrote:

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
> 
> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their 
> bodies in a north-south direction.
> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently 
> gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "
> 
> (kim)
> 
> 

It's an interesting idea, but there's a lot of other "causes" that 
may play a part - do fields tend to have gates in the north/south 
ends, do farms tend to be to the north/south of their fields (cows
wait patiently, often looking for the farmer to come out at milking 
time and/or feeding), does a cow prefer to lie with it's side to
the prevailing weather, and probably a lot of other things - I
think making the magnetic connection might be jumping to conclusions
a bit!

Cheers
Richard 
-- 
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk       sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
              I have become... comfortably numb

"kim"  wrote in message 
news:PNCdnYAt0_5Ldi7VnZ2dnUVZ8tLinZ2d@giganews.com...
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>
> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align 
> their bodies in a north-south direction.
> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has 
> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of 
> years. "
>

Oh right, it's on Google (and the BBC) so it's got to be correct 
then.... I would suggest that most animals stand (or nest) according 
to the prevailing winds and weather rather than out of a desire to 
point either north or south!
-- 
Wikipedia: the Internet equivalent of
Hyde Park and 'speakers corner'...

kim wrote:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
> 
> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their 
> bodies in a north-south direction.
> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently 
> gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "
> 
> (kim)
> 
> 

So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of 
course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a drive 
in the country and watch cattle for a few hours.

-- 
wolf k.

Jerry said the following on 26/08/2008 12:53:

> Oh right, it's on Google (and the BBC) so it's got to be correct 
> then....

No, no, no.  It can't be true until it's on Wikipedia :-)

-- 
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

"Paul Boyd"  wrote in message 
news:g90v1o$80f$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
> Jerry said the following on 26/08/2008 12:53:
>
>> Oh right, it's on Google (and the BBC) so it's got to be correct 
>> then....
>
> No, no, no.  It can't be true until it's on Wikipedia :-)
>

...which claims that the animals have been influenced by the teachings 
of David Icke and sound of their farts were use by Ronnie Hazlehurst 
as the bases of a well know TV signature tune... :~(
-- 
Wikipedia: the Internet equivalent of
Hyde Park and 'speakers corner'...

"beamendsltd"  wrote in message 
news:e743e8d44f%beamendsltd@btconnect.com...
> In message 
>          "kim"  wrote:
>
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>>
>> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their
>> bodies in a north-south direction.
>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently
>> gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "
>>
>> (kim)
>>
>>
>
> It's an interesting idea, but there's a lot of other "causes" that
> may play a part - do fields tend to have gates in the north/south
> ends, do farms tend to be to the north/south of their fields (cows
> wait patiently, often looking for the farmer to come out at milking
> time and/or feeding), does a cow prefer to lie with it's side to
> the prevailing weather, and probably a lot of other things - I
> think making the magnetic connection might be jumping to conclusions
> a bit!
>
> Cheers
> Richard
> -- 
> www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk       sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
>              I have become... comfortably numb

Its true - honest. Tis a relic behaviour pattern from when cattle used to 
migrate. They use the earths magnetic field just the same as homing pigeons. 
It also explains the cows normal confused expression - they ponder 'why am I 
looking over that way all the time, all I can see is Maudes* bottom and its 
looking a bit grimy?'.
How do they know that hunters thousands of years ago didnt know about cattle 
orientation - as far as am aware theyre hasnt been much of a need to hunt 
cattle of late ? Has anyone checked out bison or buffulo ?

*insert favorite name here

Cheers,
Simon

Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
> kim wrote:
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>> 
>> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align
>> their bodies in a north-south direction.
>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has
>> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of
>> years. " 
> 
> So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of 
> course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a
> drive in the country and watch cattle for a few hours.

Supposedly people sleep better if they're aligned north-south. Maybe cows 
are more contented that way, too.

It must be all the iron in the bloodstream.

-- 
Martin S.

MartinS wrote:
> Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
>> kim wrote:
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>>>
>>> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align
>>> their bodies in a north-south direction.
>>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has
>>> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of
>>> years. " 
>> So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of 
>> course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a
>> drive in the country and watch cattle for a few hours.
> 
> Supposedly people sleep better if they're aligned north-south. Maybe cows 
> are more contented that way, too.
> 
> It must be all the iron in the bloodstream.
> 


The iron atoms in the blood stream aren't close enough to each other to 
create a magnetic field, nor to be influenced by one. Haemoglobin has a 
enough other atoms surrounding the Fe that the magnetic moment of the 
earth's field has mo effect.

OTOH, some birds (and butterflies IIRC) navigate by the Earth's magnetic 
field. These critters have minute crystals of Fe3O4 in some of their 
neurons. Fe3O4 is magnetic, and when the crystals will try to line up 
with the earth's field, the resulting strains within the neurons 
presumably cause them to fire.

HTH

-- 
wolf k.

Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
> MartinS wrote:
>> Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
>>> kim wrote:
>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>>>>
>>>> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align
>>>> their bodies in a north-south direction.
>>>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has
>>>> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of
>>>> years. " 
>>> So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of
>>> course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a
>>> drive in the country and watch cattle for a few hours. 
>> 
>> Supposedly people sleep better if they're aligned north-south. Maybe
>> cows are more contented that way, too.
>> 
>> It must be all the iron in the bloodstream.
> 
> The iron atoms in the blood stream aren't close enough to each other
> to create a magnetic field, nor to be influenced by one. Haemoglobin
> has a enough other atoms surrounding the Fe that the magnetic moment
> of the earth's field has mo effect.
> 
> OTOH, some birds (and butterflies IIRC) navigate by the Earth's
> magnetic field. These critters have minute crystals of Fe3O4 in some
> of their neurons. Fe3O4 is magnetic, and when the crystals will try to
> line up with the earth's field, the resulting strains within the
> neurons presumably cause them to fire.
> 
> HTH

So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?

-- 
Martin S.

"MartinS" <me@my.place> wrote
> Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
>> MartinS wrote:
>>> Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
>>>> kim wrote:
>>>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>>>>>
>>>>> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align
>>>>> their bodies in a north-south direction.
>>>>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has
>>>>> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of
>>>>> years. " 
>>>> So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of
>>>> course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a
>>>> drive in the country and watch cattle for a few hours. 
>>> 
>>> Supposedly people sleep better if they're aligned north-south. Maybe
>>> cows are more contented that way, too.
>>> 
>>> It must be all the iron in the bloodstream.
>> 
>> The iron atoms in the blood stream aren't close enough to each other
>> to create a magnetic field, nor to be influenced by one. Haemoglobin
>> has a enough other atoms surrounding the Fe that the magnetic moment
>> of the earth's field has mo effect.
>> 
>> OTOH, some birds (and butterflies IIRC) navigate by the Earth's
>> magnetic field. These critters have minute crystals of Fe3O4 in some
>> of their neurons. Fe3O4 is magnetic, and when the crystals will try to
>> line up with the earth's field, the resulting strains within the
>> neurons presumably cause them to fire.
>> 
>> HTH
> 
> So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?

What I had heard was that the cause is ion in the brain, and that men
are in general more affected than women, and that arty types are less
affected than maths/science types. What matters is supposedly not which
direction you are aligned on, but that the direction is the same each 
night. I don't know how true this is, though.

MartinS said the following on 27/08/2008 03:10:

> So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?

I sleep in a north-south line, and get disorientated if I'm staying 
somewhere else where I sleep in a different direction!  I've always 
assumed people know which way they're facing in the same way as animals 
and birds do.

-- 
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

"Paul Boyd"  wrote in message 
news:g92svg$suv$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk...
<snip>
>
> I sleep in a north-south line, and get disorientated if I'm staying 
> somewhere else where I sleep in a different direction!  I've always 
> assumed people know which way they're facing in the same way as 
> animals and birds do.
>

But that is just habit, and the result of breaking it.
-- 
Wikipedia: the Internet equivalent of
Hyde Park and 'speakers corner'...

Jerry said the following on 27/08/2008 07:57:

> But that is just habit, and the result of breaking it.

Yes I'm sure it is habit, but how is it that we know (at least, I do), 
that we're sleeping in the "wrong" direction according to normal habit? 
  Certainly at home I have no visual clues as I have black-out curtains 
in the bedroom.

-- 
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

On Aug 26, 12:41�pm, "kim"  wrote:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>
> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their
> bodies in a north-south direction.
> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently
> gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "
>
> (kim)

Do these "experts" say anything about heads north or heads south or
are they equally split?  Absolutely vital information.  If I am to go
hunting cows I would rather shoot an arrow up its bottom than face its
horns.

George

George

MartinS wrote:
> Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
>> MartinS wrote:
[...]
>>> It must be all the iron in the bloodstream.
>> The iron atoms in the blood stream aren't close enough to each other
>> to create a magnetic field, nor to be influenced by one. Haemoglobin
>> has a enough other atoms surrounding the Fe that the magnetic moment
>> of the earth's field has mo effect.
>>
>> OTOH, some birds (and butterflies IIRC) navigate by the Earth's
>> magnetic field. These critters have minute crystals of Fe3O4 in some
>> of their neurons. Fe3O4 is magnetic, and when the crystals will try to
>> line up with the earth's field, the resulting strains within the
>> neurons presumably cause them to fire.
>>
>> HTH
> 
> So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?
> 

Only to avoid drafts.

-- 
wolf k.

Paul Boyd wrote:
> MartinS said the following on 27/08/2008 03:10:
>
>> So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?
>
> I sleep in a north-south line, and get disorientated if I'm staying
> somewhere else where I sleep in a different direction!

One of the weirdest experiences I've had - just a few years ago - was a 
dream in which I was still sleeping in an army barracks in Germany, then 
woke up to find I was in bed in England in a completely different bedroom 
facing a completely different direction. It took my brain a few minutes to 
adjust to the reality (and the disappointment).

Kim

In message <48b55e21$0$838$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com>
          Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:

> MartinS wrote:
> > Wolf Kirchmeir  wrote:
> >> MartinS wrote:
> [...]
> >>> It must be all the iron in the bloodstream.
> >> The iron atoms in the blood stream aren't close enough to each other
> >> to create a magnetic field, nor to be influenced by one. Haemoglobin
> >> has a enough other atoms surrounding the Fe that the magnetic moment
> >> of the earth's field has mo effect.
> >>
> >> OTOH, some birds (and butterflies IIRC) navigate by the Earth's
> >> magnetic field. These critters have minute crystals of Fe3O4 in some
> >> of their neurons. Fe3O4 is magnetic, and when the crystals will try to
> >> line up with the earth's field, the resulting strains within the
> >> neurons presumably cause them to fire.
> >>
> >> HTH
> > 
> > So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?
> > 
> 
> Only to avoid drafts.
> 

The cows in the field at the back of us face pretty much west, and 
those at the front east. Most mornings we open the curtains to see
then staring into the house, happily chewing the cud and pondering
life's great mysteries like they do. The ones at the back (milkers) 
completely ignore everything, including Alandi Rover (Jack Russel) 
wandering around under them. I can't help but try to hide the joint 
from them on Sundays though.....

Cheers
Richard 

-- 
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk       sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
              I have become... comfortably numb

In message 
          "kim"  wrote:

> Paul Boyd wrote:
> > MartinS said the following on 27/08/2008 03:10:
> >
> >> So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?
> >
> > I sleep in a north-south line, and get disorientated if I'm staying
> > somewhere else where I sleep in a different direction!
> 
> One of the weirdest experiences I've had - just a few years ago - was a 
> dream in which I was still sleeping in an army barracks in Germany, then 
> woke up to find I was in bed in England in a completely different bedroom 
> facing a completely different direction. It took my brain a few minutes to 
> adjust to the reality (and the disappointment).
> 
> Kim 
> 
> 

The worst is when you slowly wake up and feel the lottery millions
fade from your hands....... :-(

Cheers
Richard

-- 
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk       sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
              I have become... comfortably numb

"beamendsltd"  wrote in message
news:b0bd79d54f%beamendsltd@btconnect.com...
<snip>>
> The worst is when you slowly wake up and feel the lottery millions
> fade from your hands....... :-(
>

I can think of a lot worse, at least with the above you're no worse
off than when you went to bed!
-- 
Wikipedia: the Internet equivalent of
Hyde Park and 'speakers corner'...

Paul Boyd  wrote:
> MartinS said the following:
> 
>> So is there any truth in the story that one should sleep north-south?
> 
> I sleep in a north-south line, and get disorientated if I'm staying 
> somewhere else where I sleep in a different direction!  I've always 
> assumed people know which way they're facing in the same way as animals 
> and birds do.

My house is aligned at 45 degrees, so I sleep northwest-southeast.

-- 
Martin S.

"furnessvale"  wrote in message 
news:ee783447-eca9-4c14-b62f-a2331d1ba847@k37g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
On Aug 26, 12:41?pm, "kim"  wrote:
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>
> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their
> bodies in a north-south direction.
> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently
> gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "
>
> (kim)

>Do these "experts" say anything about heads north or heads south or
>are they equally split?  Absolutely vital information.  If I am to go
>hunting cows I would rather shoot an arrow up its bottom than face its
>horns.

>George

Think you should also consider the relative position and orientation of the 
farmer. Otherwise you might get more than an arrow up your bottom !

Cheers,
Simon

ROLL UP, ROLL UP. Sale of the Century - one bridge available to any number 
of buyers .....

"simon"  wrote in message 
news:8ISdnbSqLe7eVSjVnZ2dnUVZ8uOdnZ2d@bt.com...
> ROLL UP, ROLL UP. Sale of the Century - one bridge available to any 
> number of buyers .....

Not sure if that was a reply to my previous remark but I was thinking 
along the lines of either a 'Shot-gun wedding' or reams of forms 
arriving from the CSA! :~o
-- 
Wikipedia: the Internet equivalent of
Hyde Park and 'speakers corner'...

"kim"  wrote

> " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align their 
> bodies in a north-south direction.
> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has apparently 
> gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of years. "

Strange - I once had my bed aligned in a north-south direction, or it could 
have been south-north depending upon how much alcohol I'd consumed.

I guess a significant proportion of the world's population could claim the 
same orientation, and rumour has it that Google Earth will insist on 
everyone removing their house roofs so that they can check out this new 
claim.

John.

On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:40:38 +1200, Wolf Kirchmeir   
wrote:

> kim wrote:
>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>>  " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align  
>> their bodies in a north-south direction.
>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has  
>> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of  
>> years. "
>>  (kim)
>>
>
> So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of  
> course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a drive  
> in the country and watch cattle for a few hours.
>



Of course cattle line up!
If a cat (or whatever) wanders up to a fence the cattle (particularly  
steers) line up and crowd to look.
If there's a gale the cattle move with it (to the fence or other obsticle)  
and stand with their rear ends to the wind.
In neutral conditions they wander from place to place as a herd (with  
about 50% stragglers) and munch away facing any direction, but based on  
the way and direction that they have been wandering.

Greg.P.
Northland, New Zealand,
dairying country.

Greg.Procter wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:40:38 +1200, Wolf Kirchmeir 
>  wrote:
> 
>> kim wrote:
>>> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7575459.stm
>>>  " Images from Google Earth have confirmed that cattle tend to align 
>>> their bodies in a north-south direction.
>>> Wild deer also display this behaviour - a phenomenon that has 
>>> apparently gone unnoticed by herdsmen and hunters for thousands of 
>>> years. "
>>>  (kim)
>>>
>>
>> So herdsmen and hunters haven't noticed that cattle line up? Well of 
>> course they haven't noticed it - it doesn't happen. Just go for a 
>> drive in the country and watch cattle for a few hours.
>>
> 
> 
> 
> Of course cattle line up!
> If a cat (or whatever) wanders up to a fence the cattle (particularly 
> steers) line up and crowd to look.
> If there's a gale the cattle move with it (to the fence or other 
> obstacle) and stand with their rear ends to the wind.
> In neutral conditions they wander from place to place as a herd (with 
> about 50% stragglers) and munch away facing any direction, but based on 
> the way and direction that they have been wandering.
> 
> Greg.P.
> Northland, New Zealand,
> dairying country.


Greg, as usual your habit of narrow literalist reading has made you 
posit a disagreement or mistake or whatever where there is none. The 
context of my comment was "cattle tend to align their bodies in a 
north-south direction", and that's what I denied, having grown up in the 
country, and having observed lots of cows, which line up in all sorts of 
ways, sometimes even north-south.

-- 
Wolf Kirchmeir