Magnets have been known forMagnets have been known forcenturies.centuries. The Chinese and Greeks knew The Chinese and Greeks knewabout the “magical” properties of about the “magical” properties of magnets. The ancient Greeksmagnets. The ancient Greeksused a stone substance calledused a stone substance called“magnetite.” They discovered“magnetite.” They discoveredthat the stone always pointed inthat the stone always pointed inthe same direction. Later, stonesthe same direction. Later, stonesof magnetite called “lodestones”of magnetite called “lodestones”were used in navigation.were used in navigation.

William Gilbert, an Englishphysician, first proposedin 1600 that the earthitself is a magnet, and hepredicted that the Earthwould be found to havemagnetic poles.