A new study reveals that young sea turtles have the uncanny ability to navigate to their homes using magnetic fields that direct them during migrations across the world's oceans.

This new study was conducted using satellite data and demonstrates how adult sea turtles also use magnetic fields for directional orientation.

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Marine biologists have already observed how young sea turtles complete transcontinental voyages with no directional markers. Turtles plunge into the ocean depth from birth and their migrations can cover up to 1,400 miles across the world's oceans.

Previous studies already confirm sea turtles use magnetic fields to guide them but didn't explain how they can detect these magnetic fields, said study lead author, Kenneth Lohmann.

Scientists said adult sea turtles have also developed memory maps, which is why they know their way around oceans. These turtles are still difficult to study because of their huge size. They can also weigh up to 1,000 pounds. Adult leatherback turtles can measure up to six feet in length.

Lohmann and his team selected a group of female turtles who just laid eggs on the same island. The researchers separated the turtles into three groups and attached satellite trackers onto each turtle. They also attached magnets to two groups to see if these devices would disrupt the turtles' natural compass.

The turtles were released to see if they can navigate their way back home to their eggs. The team discovered that all the groups successfully returned home but two of the groups took complicated routes.

Scientists believe these two groups may have chosen these unnecessary routes due to ocean currents that prevented them from traveling in their preferred direction. The group with no magnets attached to them found a better, easier route back to the island. This result confirms that they used magnetic fields for navigation as opposed to the others that had magnets attached to them.

This study concludes adult sea turtles use a unique, natural navigation system using the Earth's magnetic fields along with their memory of a certain location. This study was published online in the journal, Current Biology on January 15.

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