Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) have made a significant advance in magnetic field measurement. They have developed a new technique that uses atoms as highly precise ...

Nearly every modern cellphone has a built-in compass, or magnetometer, that detects the direction of Earth's magnetic field, providing critical information for navigation. Now a team of researchers ...

A compass made of light promises to be more sensitive than anything in a Boy Scout’s wildest dreams. A light beam shot through a blob of rubidium atoms can directly and reliably measure the size and ...

Some inventions are so simple that it’s hard to improve them. The magnetic compass is a great example — a magnetized needle, a bit of cork, and a bowl of water are all you need to start navigating the ...

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that pigeons sense magnetic fields by detecting electric currents in their inner ears.

Most people assume a compass will behave perfectly, no matter where you take it, but the magnetic pole is a […] ...

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 ...

An approach based on quantum sensing, in which controlled quantum systems serve as precision sensors, has enabled measurement of the weak magnetic interaction between two electrons bound to two ...

Imagine trying to measure a tennis ball that bounces wildly, every time to a distance a million times its own size. The bouncing obviously creates enormous "background noise" that interferes with the ...

Here's how to make a magnetic compass that points north using the amazing invisible force of magnetism. And there are only a few things that we need:A long large needle, a piece of cork carefully ...