Did you know that you have a compass in your nose? It’s true.
Are you good with directions? Awful with finding your way? Magnetite may be the answer.
Magnetite is a mineral and is the most magnetic of all naturally occurring minerals in the earth.
And guess what? It’s in your nose!
That’s right, friends. You have a regular ol’ compass in your nose!
Right in between your eyes, in the ethmoid bone, there is a trace amount of magnetite. The iron in the magnetite is attracted to Earth’s magnetic north pole. Crazy, right?!
Now, your magnet may work better (or worse) than other peoples’. Some seem to have a stronger sense of direction than others.
People have even been tested with blindfolds so they can’t see clues, and they are often still able to face north like a compass does.
You can try your own experiment:
1. Blindfold a friend.
2. Place a strong magnet near the right-side of his or head.
3. See if they turn right!
4. Try it on the left, too!
Many other animals have this cool ability as well, including pigeons, dolphins, honeybees and more!
So, if you’re really bad with directions, maybe you don’t have much magnetite! Pull that one out next time someone makes fun of you for your lacking a sense of direction. =)
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