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 ...

When Santa is done delivering presents on Christmas Eve, he must get back home to the North Pole, even if it's snowing so ...

If shrunken down to micron size, a compass needle could wobble. (Courtesy: iStockphoto/tobias machhaus) A tiny magnetic needle just 10 μm long could be used to create a magnetic-field sensor that – if ...

Scott Brame explains the difference between magnetic north and true north, as Santa and people all over the world prepare to travel.