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

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 ...

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 ...

The magnetic compass is the last unknown sense in migrating animals. For some scientists, the monarch butterfly is leading ...

A compass made of light promises to be more sensitive than anything in a Boy Scout’s wildest dreams. A light beam shot through a blob of rubidium atoms can directly and reliably measure the size and ...

Fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even a few mammals rely on magnetoreception for navigation. But the exact mechanism ...

Magnetic compasses have long been reliable tools for navigation, especially before the advent of satellites and digital GPS. These timeless instruments align with Earth’s magnetic field, guiding ...

Monarch butterflies have a keen sense of direction, even on cloudy days. This is because they have a magnetic compass to direct their migration in addition to navigating by the position of the sun, ...

A ship’s steel hull becomes part of Earth’s magnetic field, which can quietly skew a magnetic compass in different directions as the vessel turns and heels. This explains how binnacle correctors work, ...

The magnetic compass that birds use for orientation is affected by polarized light. That is the finding of researchers in Sweden, who studied zebra finches navigating a simple maze and found that the ...

Tony Barta: I've just returned from a magical place; Magnetic Island, off Townsville. The small number of refugees from Melbourne's winter who can swim and snorkel every day as if it were summer won't ...