How much do we know about who invented the compass? We are so used to a lifestyle that surely the question of who invented that curious little thing that we see as normal today crosses our minds. The compass has been present in the life of the human being for many centuries. Its use has been so common that we might even think that it has always been within the reach of man, but this was not the case.
- If the compass had never existed, possibly the greatest civilizations we have known would not be as we see them now. Although human beings have always had a way of orienting themselves, for example, following the direction of the sun or the stars, the position of the stars depending on the seasons, the direction of the water in rivers or the shadow, the compass is undoubtedly the most useful device to orient yourself on the position of the place where we are.
- At first there was no GPS, in fact, technically it could be said that the compass is the predecessor along with the GPS map, which would make a modernized version of these two elements that have almost always been present in the history of humanity.
- The conquests of invasions to other sites, expeditions of all kinds, maritime or terrestrial, have required knowing how to orient themselves, and in this type of emissions, compasses are the appropriate and ideal instrument to be able to achieve our objective.
Anyway, without further ado, if you want to know who invented the compass, then it’s time for you to read what I have written below.
What do you need
- read and research
Instructions
- The first historical compasses were made with a natural magnetic mineral. This material is called magnetite, which is a naturally magnetized metal, works like a magnet. Possibly the people of that time realized that all kinds of magnetic devices always point in one direction and repel another, and that direction is north.
- Remember that magnets are capable of attracting other metals through an invisible force and repelling them as well. The Earth is a planet that is practically like a huge magnet, and this material could be used to always point in the same direction. In this way, the magnetite utensils used to orient themselves, such as compasses, always headed north.
- Possibly the Chinese were the first to exploit this knowledge since many historical pieces of evidence show that the compass possibly originated in ancient China. Long before Christ, there was already talk of artifacts with magnetite which were used to guide travelers, especially sailors.
- This type of ancient artifact, which could be considered the first compass, was made differently, that is, there were several types of compasses. A type of compass that we can highlight, was a small wooden straw that was filled with a magnetite needle. This straw was later placed in a small dish with water so that when the needle floated it made the straw move by itself, pointing north. Unfortunately, this type of compass could fail when the tides were very strong.
- There was another artifact that is a little more similar to the type of compass we know today, it was a magnetite spoon which was placed in the center of a surface created from polished bronze. The spoon always moved in the same direction, which is north, which is why it served as a reference to orient oneself to the place where one was.
- The use of the compass was perfected and expanded within and outside of Asia, but it was not until the year 1180 that Alexander Neckam, an English philosopher and scholar, first spoke of the usefulness of the compass in Europe. In this case, rather, he spoke of the usefulness of magnetism as a means to guide people in a certain direction.
- In 1250, Mediterranean sailors created a magnetized needle, which was placed on a surface with markings that served to orient degrees and places, making it easier to orientate. This is how the compass we know today arose.
Tips
- For a long time the reason why the compass always pointed north was unknown, even many myths were generated, such as the idea that there was a highly concentrated amount of magnetite in the north of the world. These myths continued until William Gilbert, an English-born philosopher, and physician and one of the leading pioneers in the scientific study of magnetism, demonstrated how a metal needle assumes a straight stance the closer it approaches the center of a lodestone ball. This made him think that the planet Earth is like a big magnet.