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Wondering who discovered magnets? Read on to find the answer.

Magnets are seemingly magical objects, which produce an invisible magnetic field that causes them to attract other magnetic substances in their vicinity. Who discovered magnets? Who was the first one to come across this brilliant force of magnetism? An old story says that a shepherd from Crete named Magnes was the first to discover lodestone, which pulled towards itself his crook that had an iron tip. There is another story, which says that the Greeks discovered the magnets of magnetite in Turkey.

Some believe that Thales who lived in Greece in 600 B.C. was one of the pioneering researchers in the field of magnetism and electricity. He studied the forces of attraction between magnets and a resin called amber. According to some theories, the Chinese were the ones using magnetic stones since centuries. They used these stones in ways similar to the modern-day magnetic compass. It was in around 1734, that Swedenborg, a Swedish scientist brought to notice the differences between a magnetized piece of iron and an unmagnetized one. The magnetic substance that was discovered for the first time ever was magnetite. But Louis Neel, a French physicist disapproved this discovery by coming up with the concept of ferromagnetism.

The discovery of magnets has changed the world. It has led to the manifold applications of magnetism in various spheres of life. Magnets are used in electric motors, transformers, televisions, computer monitors, magnetic tapes, microphones and speakers. Magnetism is the basis of mariner’s compasses, which is one of the most widely used navigational tools. Magnets have found applications in the manufacture of toys and jewelry. The discovery of magnetism and its study in relation to electricity gave rise to the concept of electromagnetism. Magnetism is at the heart of magnetic therapy, a relatively new method of treating a variety of illnesses. If you have been using your computer screen this long, you must thank the discoverers of magnets, as you know your computer monitors also use magnets!

For more on magnets and magnetism, go through:   Facts about magnets     How to use a Compass?    The Use of Magnetic Bracelets for Pain Relief     Rare Earth Magnets   Refrigerator Magnets

By Manali Oak Published: 10/14/2008

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