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Cows Have Strange Sixth Sense

livescience.com — Researchers used Google Earth to find that cows tended to face north-south along the Earth's magnetic field lines while grazing or resting. Past research has shown that wind and sunlight can cause herd animals such as cows to change their alignment, depending on the conditions.

Who dugg this? Made popular Aug 26, 2008

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  • bioncinola, on 08/26/2008, -2/+129Rather silly and erroneous research. It's pretty obvious cows and deers prefer standing north to south to keep the sunlight from shining ointo their eyes and to get the benefit of thesuns rays as it covers the full side of their body.

  • sockpuppets, on 08/26/2008, -1/+97Finally, vindication. I will no longer be ridiculed for carrying a cow as a compass.
  • stonebear, on 08/26/2008, -2/+53It just occurred to me that when I sunbathe, I point the chair alternately north and south. It does work out better that way. Moo.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -1/+39That's a way too simple and obvious explanation for anyone to receive research money.
  • larrysellers7, on 08/26/2008, -3/+37It's because they're from Marklar.
  • jOOlian, on 08/26/2008, -0/+31You learn something moo every day
  • davidg11, on 08/26/2008, -0/+30Don't give me beef for this, but cow jokes are rare and never well done. And that's no bull.

    Aside from them being cheesy, and grazing close to bad taste, it's good to be reminded that to err is human, to forgive bovine.

    Herdly a respite, eh?

    But cow jokes take time; you have to hear them 3 times to stomach them.
  • ry4nsm1th, on 08/26/2008, -2/+32That isn't how I remember the secret cow level.
  • terminalV3, on 08/26/2008, -1/+30they freeze to death.
  • mattatastic, on 08/26/2008, -1/+27"The scientists then celebrated their findings with a hamburger cookout."
  • jstohler, on 08/26/2008, -1/+27Thanks for pointing that out. This was the first thing that occurred to me, and yet neither the researchers nor the journalists reporting the story seem to have considered it.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -1/+22they would spin on their backs like breakdancers....
  • TapTapper, on 08/26/2008, -6/+26Sixth Sense?? Crap. It's for warmth for goodness' sake.

    If they face north-south, the southern exposure (or northern, depending on the hemisphere) will cause the sun to beat down on whatever cow-part is most beneficial to have warmed. That cow-part will always get preference, hence tending to align along that axis. If it was east-west that would be odd. But people have learned to orient buildings and their entrances according to southern exposure. Why can't a cow know how she feels the sun's warmth the best?

    And why just cows? No bulls? What about other big ruminants? Oxen? Bison? Those white African jobbies with the long horns?

    What a stupid study.
  • jsauter, on 08/26/2008, -1/+21Also, since Google earth/maps only shows images that were shot during relatively cloud free days you would only ever see cows that are out in the sun and thus they would be more likely to be doing the alignment thing.

    We should be scientists or something...
  • yonoz, on 08/26/2008, -2/+22I eat dead cows.
  • yonoz, on 08/26/2008, -1/+20So, what would happen if you put a herd of cows on one of the Earth's poles?
  • LaughingMan89, on 08/26/2008, -0/+18It seemed like udder crap to me.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -4/+20I see dead cows.
  • boardthis, on 08/26/2008, -1/+16aliens have known that cows are the smartest life form on earth since August 13, 1997.
  • mareksoon, on 08/26/2008, -0/+13I must have a sixth sense, too. I find when I sleep, I usually prefer to be horizontal to the ground, but while standing, I'm perpendicular relative to the ground with my upper torso above my legs and closer to the sky.

    Usually.
  • Chebsi, on 08/26/2008, -0/+13Please stop milking the "udder" pun.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -1/+13Shhhh! They spent their research grant on hookers and blow.

    So you will read their published "research" and like it! ...or no soup for you.
  • Tophillious, on 08/26/2008, -2/+14no
  • Sp0rAdiC, on 08/26/2008, -1/+13Exactly, more of an awareness of their surroundings than a sixth sense.
  • LilCarrots, on 08/26/2008, -0/+11This news article -- about a study which was based on satellite imagery -- has
    no pictures in it. I'm sorry - what year is it? Lazy web production.
  • erichw1504, on 08/26/2008, -1/+12How does a farmer count a herd of cows?
    With a Cowculator
  • davidg11, on 08/26/2008, -0/+10Wow! That was quite amoosing!
  • davidg11, on 08/26/2008, -0/+9This story is udderly ridiculous!
  • mstachiw, on 08/26/2008, -1/+10I tend to walk north/south and by tend i mean when i'm not walking east/west
  • badmephisto, on 08/26/2008, -3/+12Awesome! this almost makes compass obsolete. Next time I go hiking, I'll remember to bring a cow with me
  • davidlow, on 08/26/2008, -0/+8This study is a bunch of bull.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -2/+10Now I know why my girlfriend is always standing in certain directions that dont make sense. Whew!
  • davidg11, on 08/26/2008, -0/+8Following magnetic north will always "steer" you in the right direction!
  • foopirata, on 08/26/2008, -2/+10Warsaw would protest in the strongest terms?

    (sorry, I'm still in jocular mode...)

  • tokey7, on 08/26/2008, -0/+8This marklar speaks good marklar. On Marklar, all marklar, marklar, and marklar (including marklar) face to the marklar when eating.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -0/+8I like the way they can fly but only do it during tornadoes when nobody is looking.
  • jeehalte, on 08/26/2008, -1/+9deer not deers
  • orangeguitar311, on 08/26/2008, -1/+8That pun was udder-ly amazing.
  • musntSurfatWork, on 08/26/2008, -0/+7that's why I dart from the east to tip them over.
  • OmegaWolf, on 08/26/2008, -0/+7Those white African jobbies with the long horns are called oryx.
  • inactive, on 08/26/2008, -0/+7This is udder blasphemy
  • Fracture98, on 08/26/2008, -1/+8Thankfully someone else spotted the obvious. What I want researched is if milk comes out of their noses when they laugh.
  • orangefly, on 08/26/2008, -1/+8my dog scratches the front door....he must have a sixth sense of when i'm going to open it....
  • ABadPerson, on 08/26/2008, -1/+8Common sense is the sixth sense?
  • Idiggapony, on 08/26/2008, -1/+8They stand on their heads. As you can imagine, they don't look very graceful or comfortable doing it, either. It's the craziest thing, but I saw it, when I was at the North and/or South poles.

  • Chebsi, on 08/26/2008, -3/+10There is no cow level.
  • Greengoo, on 08/26/2008, -0/+6Moo moo, Moo! Moo? Moo. Moo!
  • poet, on 08/26/2008, -0/+6It's because marklar are from Marklar.*

    Learn the conjunction function.
  • jsauter, on 08/26/2008, -1/+7They wouldn't have to if they were trying to warm the most surface area as possible. The sun would move from east to west and their flanks would face the sun because their heads were facing one of the poles. Only at noon would the sun be directly overhead and it would then warm their backs.
  • mediaspree, on 08/26/2008, -1/+6A Cowmpass?
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