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 ...

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 ...

Since its first documented use by the Chinese centuries ago, the magnetic compass has guided countless sailors safely across the seas. Though the compass allowed for the advent of modern navigation, ...

The unearthing of a 500-year-old scientific instrument in northern Poland has given historians a rare, tangible link to the world of Nicolaus Copernicus. Archaeologists and independent researchers now ...

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Which way does your front door face? Which direction is your school? The library? Your best friend’s house? Being able to visualize directions adds ...

Our planet’s northern magnetic pole is not only racing toward Siberia at about 34 miles per year, it has been to Antarctica several times in the last million years—and it’s due to flip again. This isn ...