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 ...

Some inventions are so simple that it’s hard to improve them. The magnetic compass is a great example — a magnetized needle, a bit of cork, and a bowl of water are all you need to start navigating the ...

Using a magnetic compass to calculate the current in a wire. Learn how magnetic fields, compass deflection, and basic electromagnetism principles connect in a practical physics experiment. #MagneticFi ...

The magnetized needle of a conventional compass wants to align with Earth’s magnetic field—helpful, unless you’re near the ...

A magnetometer is a device that measures magnetism: the direction, strength, or relative change of a magnetic field at 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 ...

At some point during our primary school careers, most of us probably constructed a simple compass, often by floating a ...

Every year, great white sharks travel over 12,000 miles from South Africa to Australia, charting a nearly perfect straight line across the ocean. And every year, they turn around and travel back.

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 ...