Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2017 January 29

= January 29 =

Magnetic field
Would appreciate an answer to, when the first human or scientist found out that earth had a magnetic field. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.48.178.39 (talk) 23:10, 29 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Technically anyone who uses a compass-like device has "discovered" earths magnetic field, right? But maybe they did not realize that the reason their compass worked was the fact that Earth has a magnetic field. I found a source that says: English scientist William Gilbert pioneered research into magnetism and electrical attractions. In 'De Magnete' (1600), he was the first to describe the earth's magnetic field and to postulate the relationship between electricity and magnetism. . See also . &#40;&#40;&#40;The Quixotic Potato&#41;&#41;&#41; (talk)  00:07, 30 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Lodestone has some historical info about magnetic navigation going back to ancient times. Don't know if that's what you want. 50.0.136.56 (talk) 06:36, 30 January 2017 (UTC)
 * Before Gilbert (or Gilberd, he used both spellings), it was believed that there was a magnetic island at the North Pole which was attracting compass needles, or that the Pole Star was magnetic. By discovering magnetic declination, Gilbert proved that the whole world had magnetism. Alansplodge (talk) 15:55, 3 February 2017 (UTC)