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submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by InevitableSwing@hexbear.net to c/chapotraphouse@hexbear.net

It's a WaPo article that's a 12 minute read - https://archive.ph/C6mna

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[-] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Up is North, because North is at the top of a compass, and is the direction a compass will always point towards.

[-] addieu@hexbear.net 8 points 1 year ago

The earliest known compasses humans used were called "zhi nan zhen," meaning "south pointing needle." It pointed south. European navigators using the technology inverted this so it would point north.

[-] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 year ago

I guess, but those were really more of a divination tool, rather than a navigational one. They didn't start using them as a traditional compass until the 1100's.

[-] xj9@hexbear.net 6 points 1 year ago

Antarctica is clearly earth's hat. The compass has nothing to do with it.

[-] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

I prefer this explanation, tbh.

this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2025
117 points (100.0% liked)

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