BESSY II sheds light on how the internal compass is constructed in magnetotactic bacteria
(PHYSorg.com Nanotechnology)

Magnetotactic bacteria can sense the Earth`s magnetic field via magnetic nanoparticles in their interior that act as an internal compass. Spanish teams and experts at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have now examined the magnetic compass of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense at BESSY II. Their results may be helpful in designing actuation devices for nanorobots and nanosensors for biomedical applications.