Lodestone, Amber, and Lightning

Abstract Lodestone, amber, and lightning were nature’s hints that there were strange forces in Heaven and Earth. Lodestone, a naturally occurring magnetic oxide of iron, attracted nails and, if suspended, aligned itself roughly along a north-south line. If rubbed with suitable material, a piece of amber attracted pieces of thread or paper. These weird properties still intrigue children-and adults. The compass needle fascinated Einstein as a child. How did the needle know which way to point? Even as late as the seventeenth century, many believed that magnets had souls. The pull of a magnet was likened to the lure of a siren for a sailor.