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 ...

Researchers recently showed that migratory reed warblers depend on an internal geomagnetic map to guide them on their long-distance journeys. But it wasn't clear how the birds were solving the ...

Paul Wilkes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their ...

Prior to my retirement in late 2016, John Delano received research funding from NASA. No current funding. John Delano is currently a volunteer interpreter at three sites in Colonial Williamsburg, VA.

Never mind the wind, waves, storms, shoals and countless other factors that once made sailing across an ocean an incredibly complex task fraught with danger. Perhaps the most confounding aspect of a ...