GTT’s Richmond, Virginia based cameraman Nick Modisett traveled down to Chapel Hill, North Carolina for a fascinating shoot for the National Science Foundation’s Science Nation. Science Nation is an HD video series examining breakthroughs and possibilities in science that was created by former CNN senior science producers.

This episode was investigating how the loggerhead sea turtle uses the magnetic fields in the oceans to navigate to its destination.  While we have to buy our GPS systems, those cute little knuckleheads already have one built in!

So we spent the day with Dr. Ken Lohmann a scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill that studies the sea turtle.  In order to find out about the reptiles’ behavior, Dr. Lohmann gently straps the turtles into little harnesses or “bathing suits” and places them in a pool of water surrounded by a magnetic coil structure.  As they swim around, he monitors their behavior.

Dr. Lohmann also studies how the turtles use wave direction to guide some of their migration.  He built a wave simulator that moves the turtles in a circular motion to imitate the motion of the waves.  The turtles actually perform a swimming motion while being moved around in the air!

Check out the National Science Foundation’s Science Nation online