this post was submitted on 09 Jan 2025
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chapotraphouse

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It's a WaPo article that's a 12 minute read - https://archive.ph/C6mna

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[–] blobjim@hexbear.net 14 points 1 month ago (1 children)

because wh*tes decided which way was right side up

[–] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Up is North, because North is at the top of a compass, and is the direction a compass will always point towards.

[–] addieu@hexbear.net 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

The earliest known compasses humans used were called "zhi nan zhen," meaning "south pointing needle." It pointed south. European navigators using the technology inverted this so it would point north.

[–] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 month ago

I guess, but those were really more of a divination tool, rather than a navigational one. They didn't start using them as a traditional compass until the 1100's.

[–] xj9@hexbear.net 6 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Antarctica is clearly earth's hat. The compass has nothing to do with it.

[–] Murple_27@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 month ago

I prefer this explanation, tbh.