Where was the compass invented?
The first compasses were made in ancient China from lodestone, a naturally magnetic rock, and were used for fortune-telling and feng shui before navigation.
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Navigation facts and facts about navigations, from the Random Facts shelf.
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When did Europeans start using the compass?
Europeans started using the compass for navigation in the late 1100s, about a century after the Chinese did.
What is magnetic declination?
Magnetic declination is the angle between magnetic north and true north, and it varies depending on where you are on Earth.
What is a gyrocompass?
A gyrocompass, invented in the early 1900s, uses a spinning wheel to find true north and isn't affected by magnetism, which makes it useful on steel ships.