How Sea Turtles Find their Way

Sea turtles use Earth’s magnetic field like a natural GPS to navigate thousands of miles across oceans—and return to the exact beach where they were born.

Scientists believe sea turtles can detect the unique magnetic signature of different parts of the planet, almost like each beach has its own invisible address.

When baby turtles hatch, they imprint on their birthplace’s magnetic fingerprint. Decades later, after swimming across vast oceans, they use that internal compass to find their way back—sometimes traveling thousands of miles—just to lay their eggs in the very same spot.

But that’s not the only superpower sea turtles have. Check out these other amazing facts:

• Ancient Survivors: Sea turtles have been around for over 110 million years. That means they were paddling through the seas when dinosaurs ruled the land!

• Toothless but Tough: No teeth? No problem. Sea turtles have strong beaks that help them crunch jellyfish, bite into seagrass, or crush crabs—depending on the species.

• Gender by Temperature: The temperature of the sand where turtle eggs are laid decides whether the hatchlings are male or female. Warmer sand makes more girls, cooler sand makes more boys.

• Deep Breath Champions: When resting, some sea turtles can hold their breath for up to 7 hours by slowing their heart rate way down. That’s some serious chill.

From ancient history to incredible biology, sea turtles are full of interesting surprises. If you ever get the chance to watch them go from nest to the ocean, don’t miss it. It’s a really neat experience.

Ask your kid:
If you had a superpower like a sea turtle’s magnetic GPS, where would you go first?