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submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days 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 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days 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 2 days 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 2 days 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 2 days ago

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

[-] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago

I prefer this explanation, tbh.

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

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