29 MAGNIFICENT FACTS ABOUT MAGNETS!
FACTS ABOUT MAGNETS 1. Magnets were discovered around four millennia ago. About 4,000 years ago, Magnes, a Greek shepherd, tending his sheep in a region called Magnesia, suddenly found that the nails that held his shoe together and the metal tip of his rod were attracted to a rock he was standing on. Magnes discovered the first recorded lodestone. Lodestones were therefore called “magnetite,” probably named after Magnes or Magnesia. 2. They’re said to be much older. Magnets are ancient. Well, today’s man-made magnets may not be so ancient, but the Chinese are said to have used the natural magnet lodestone as early as 800 A.D. 3. We’ve been using them for all kinds of things for centuries. Ancient mariners are said to have used lodestones to help them navigate. Explorers like Marco Polo brought the magnetic compass back to Italy, assisting the Europeans to explore the oceans. The Vikings put the magnetic properties of lodestone to practical use as early...