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 ...

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

A protein in the retina of a migratory bird can respond to weak magnetic fields, researchers have found (Nature 2021, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03618-9). The discovery suggests that the protein, ...

On Earth, the magnetic field of our planet points a compass north, but in space, things are a bit more complicated. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Imagine you are a young Bar-tailed Godwit, a large, leggy shorebird with a long, probing bill hatched on the tundra of Alaska. As the days become shorter and the icy winter looms, you feel the urge to ...

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, ...

Source: SC Psychological Enterprises Ltd. It seems that every year, the popular press reports dozens (maybe even hundreds) of cases where a dog was lost, or accidentally transported away from home, ...

Source: SC Psychological Enterprises Ltd. It seems that every year, the popular press reports dozens (maybe even hundreds) of cases where a dog was lost, or accidentally transported away from home, ...