🧭 Lodestone legends and living compasses
Ancient traditions described dark stones that drew iron. Naturally magnetised Magnetite is called lodestone, and only some specimens retain enough polarity to behave as natural permanent magnets. Lodestone later became connected with directional devices, navigation and stories of stones capable of revealing a hidden path.
Magnetite also appears in living systems: some microorganisms grow microscopic chains of Magnetite crystals called magnetosomes, creating a tiny biological compass.