I read with interest in Scientific American (interesting combination of words) that most cows when resting, or sleeping, face magnetic north.

Not a well known fact but it has launched research by such venerable organisations as Google, who claim that some cows can be seen from space and when the alignment of 8,510 bovines were examined most were found to be facing magnetic north.

Imagine early explorers, unaware of magnets but conscious that slumbering cattle all faced one way, and that the sun rises on one side of the recumbent cow and sets on the other.

Vikings had large horns on their helmets and sailed around most of their known world, thus proving that an affinity with their milk producing navigators.

Cows obviously have many advantages over today’s magnets as they do not affect the screens on computers or televisions.

It is a well known fact that many birds, fish and other forms of migratory animal instinctively use magnetic fields around the earth to find their way around.

So, when that venerated publication Scientific American chances on the fact that the world’s magnetism also affects cows we should stand back open mouthed and in awe. Why?

Because with all the problems that face the world today, including climate warming, starvation and disease, it is beyond credence that all the interest should now be on which way a cow faces when it sleeps.

This does confirm my own research that sleeping south of a cow can be extremely dangerous – for many reasons.

GREG DUNNINGHAM Marlborough Road Old Town Swindon