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The Story of the Compass
How a needle found north
Grab a magnet and let's travel back in time to see how a tiny floating needle changed how we explore our planet!
1/5
- 2,000 Years Ago
Magic Rocks
People in ancient China found a special dark rock called lodestone. They noticed this strange rock always turned to point in the exact same direction!
The big idea
Earth is like a giant magnet, and a compass needle always points along its magnetic lines.
Fun facts
- ✨ Homing pigeons have tiny magnetic bits in their beaks that act like built-in compasses!
- ✨ The Earth's magnetic north pole actually moves a little bit every single year.
- ✨ Spacecraft use special 'star compasses' that look at bright stars instead of magnets to steer through space.
Science words
- Lodestone — A rare kind of natural rock that attracts metal just like a magnet.
- Magnet — An object that pulls iron metal toward itself using an invisible force.
- Navigate — To figure out where you are and steer your way to where you want to go.