How were magnets discovered?

The magnet was not invented by man. It is natural magnetite. The ancients found a natural magnetized stone in nature, called it "magnet stone". The stone can magically pick up small pieces of iron and always point in the same direction when swung at will. Early seafarers used the magnet as a compass to navigate the sea. The discovery and use of magnets should be us, that is, the use of magnets to make "compass", is one of the four great inventions.

After thousands of years of development, magnets have become a powerful material in our lives. By synthesizing alloys of different materials, the same effect can be achieved as magnets, but it can also increase the magnetic force. Artificial magnets existed in the 18th century, but the process of making stronger materials was slow until the 1920s, when Alnico was created. This was followed by Ferrite in the 1950s and Rare Earth magnets (including NdFeB and Samarium cobalt) in the 1970s. Since then, magnetic technology has developed rapidly, and strong magnetic materials have made components smaller.