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 ...

Earth’s magnetic north has just crossed an invisible threshold in the Arctic, slipping into a region that modern navigation ...

Are you ready to find a new direction? This experiment uses household items to make a useful tool. Follow along with ABC11 Science Club with BASF and discover how to make a compass at home! Adult ...

Earth’s magnetic north pole has continued its long-term drift toward Siberia, officially crossing into the Russian hemisphere ...

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a story Feb. 4 about the magnetic north pole, The Associated Press erroneously described the pole’s change in speed. Its speed jumped from about 9 miles per year (about 15 ...

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 ...

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 ...

A compass that relies on polarised light can use the sun to tell where magnetic north is, even when it is cloudy. It is based on how some insects navigate and could be used when conventional magnetic ...

Pipistrelle bats have a magnetic compass and calibrate it at sunset, according to a new study. An international team of researchers has used behavioral experiments to show that two different ...

The Compass Rose, a 12-point circular magnetic compass, painted nearly 100 years ago onto the tarmac at the northwest corner of Santa Monica Airport, was officially designated as a historic landmark, ...

North isn't quite where it used to be. Earth's north magnetic pole has been drifting so fast in the last few decades that scientists say that past estimates are no longer accurate enough for precise ...