Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field generated by electric currents from within the planet. Compasses take advantage of this field to identify north and serve as a navigational aid. But one social ...

Although the Earth’s magnetic field is reliable enough for navigation and is also essential for blocking harmful solar emissions and for improving radio communications, it’s not a uniform strength ...

Most people assume a compass will behave perfectly, no matter where you take it, but the magnetic pole is a bit of a troublemaker. The rules you rely on everywhere else on the planet start to wobble ...