Today, with a single click we can send a message anywhere in the world. But it was not always so. Anyone who was born in an age full of technology can hardly imagine what life was like before it.
Before every facility we have access to was invented, messages were sent in different ways, the use of carrier pigeons being one of the most used and efficient.
see more
Company launches the 1st "flying saucer" for crew members; meet…
Mercury entered Leo; find out how it will impact your sign
There are indications that it has been used since ancient Greece. However, it was in the First World War, between 1914 and 1918, that the sending of information by means of pigeons was widely disseminated.
Some stories report that they were even responsible for saving the lives of many soldiers on the battlefield. One of the best known is that of the pigeon Cher Ami, "I want a friend" in French, which saved 194 lives in Verdun in 1918.
During the war he flew 12 missions, but the last one was the most significant of them. Due to a wrong movement in the field, Major Whittlesey, leader of the 77th Division and his men ended up surrounded by the Germans.
It is not known for sure whether it was a miscalculation or bad luck, but the fact is that, to avoid enemy encounters with the Americans, Whittlesey's superiors ordered a bombing raid. However, these began to hit US soldiers.
At that moment, it was impossible to send a man back to base. And that's where the carrier pigeon Cher Ami comes in. He was the only animal left, as the German soldiers had already killed everyone else. Armed with the message, he headed back to headquarters.
But anyone who thinks he had a smooth flight is wrong. As soon as he ascended into the sky he was heavily targeted by enemies. The bird was hit, but managed to complete its mission and saved the soldiers who were still in the field.
Even though he was badly hurt, the doctors managed to save him. While still in France, he was awarded the War Cross, one of the nation's highest honors. As soon as he recovered, he was taken to the United States, where he was received as a true hero by the Americans.
With all this history, you might be wondering how does the carrier pigeon know where it should take the message. But first of all, it must be clarified that not every pigeon has the ability to carry messages. The common birds that we find on the streets are different from those used with the courier function.
The latter, although visually very similar, have a larger and more resistant body structure. This is one of the reasons why they can fly long distances and with great speed.
Despite the many hypotheses raised by science, there is still no consensus on the answer to this question. However, one piece of information is certain: they only know the way home. So the idea that they can go anywhere is not entirely true.
One of the theories raised by science is that this happens because they have a certain amount of iron particles in the beak, which works like a natural compass, always pointing it towards the North.
There are also those who argue that they have the same sense of location as migratory birds. Others claim that they have a certain pressure in the inner ear that allows them to draw maps of the route to be followed.
Another theory is that they are guided by the position of the sun, moon and constellations. Whatever the hypothesis, it is a fact that the sharp vision they have corroborates with this ease of location.
Usually the papers containing the messages are sent in a small structure attached to the carrier pigeons' legs.
Responsible for great achievements throughout history, a few years ago, in 2008, a curious case drew attention here in Brazil. In the interior of São Paulo, more specifically in the city of Marília, prisoners were using pigeons to gain access to drugs and cell phones.
At the time, the director of the prison gave an interview stating that some visitors were caught trying to leave the place with the birds. The theory raised is that because they were trained, they could return to the penitentiary with the prohibited items. In 2017, new seizures were made.
