How does a magnetic compass work? Well, it’s all down to basic physics and human ingenuity. The key component of a standard baseplate compass is its magnetized needle, which is allowed to spin freely ...

Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field generated by electric currents from within the planet. Compasses take advantage of this field to identify north and serve as a navigational aid. But one social ...

Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) can learn to associate food with the geomagnetic signatures of various oceanic regions, suggesting that they are able to find known foraging areas using an ...

The compass—oldest known navigating instrument—has been revolutionized. Last week Bendix Aviation Corp. announced a new automatic compass that makes the old magnetic needle* look as obsolete as a ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...