The Compass (jan 1, 206 BC – jan 1, 206 BC)

Description:

This year saw the creation of the very first compass by the Chinese Han dynasty, crafted with a needle and a fragment of lodestone. When the needle rubbed against the lodestone, it was influenced by the Earth's magnetic field and would point to the north accordingly. It wasn't until the 11th century that the compass was widely used, however, but when the Song dynasty formed, it made use of the primitive compass design to explore the world, finding North America far before Christopher Columbus did. Since then, the compass has undergone significant development, and is still vital to navigation to this day.

Added to timeline:

Date: