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Scientists Think They Have Found the 'Sunstone' Vikings Used to Navigate

52 points by triplesec 13y ago

cafard 13y ago
I had always heard that crystal called "Iceland spar" was the one.
triplesec 13y ago
Oritinal title too long: "Scientists Think They Have Found The Mythical ‘Sunstone’ Vikings Used To Navigate Warships" This is a proper ancient use for crystals. I think our science camp might have to make some of these for this coming August.
- smacktoward 13y ago
  What a strange headline. If it's been found, how can it be mythical? Even the article text itself only goes so far as to call it "near-mythical."
gregwtmtno 13y ago
Article dated almost a year ago.
- kristopolous 13y ago
  if you think that's old, you should check out the rock.
johnohara 13y ago
How does the sunstone work? If you put a dot on top of the crystal and look at it from below, two dots appear, because the light is "depolarised" and fractured along different axes. You then rotate the crystal until the two points have exactly the same intensity or darkness. I like stories about rediscovered ancient technologies but in this case, a youtube video, an image or even an animation of the device would have been helpful.
- kristopolous 13y ago
  you can find a number of shaky-cam amateur examples on youtube of them. I'm quite surprised that there isn't some googlable drawing of the thing in a textbook-quality form - you know, like http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/images/spectra/prismdispersion.gif http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/... this - but instead for sunstones.
  - johnohara 13y ago
    Thanks kristopolous, I will. Appreciated.
- kapnobatairza 13y ago
  I know it is crappy looking, but I made one for you :D http://i.imgur.com/gIryQlj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/gIryQlj.jpg
  - johnohara 13y ago
    Pleasant surprise. Thank you for showing me how to navigate a professional career path too.
    - kapnobatairza 13y ago
      Not quite sure how I helped you with the latter but I am glad to help!
k2enemy 13y ago
Previous discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5342104 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5342104
Zenst 13y ago
Article seems like a rehash of older news - for example http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21693140 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21693140
deleted 13y ago
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52 points by triplesec 13y ago

I had always heard that crystal called "Iceland spar" was the one.

Oritinal title too long: "Scientists Think They Have Found The Mythical ‘Sunstone’ Vikings Used To Navigate Warships" This is a proper ancient use for crystals. I think our science camp might have to make some of these for this coming August.

smacktoward 13y ago
What a strange headline. If it's been found, how can it be mythical? Even the article text itself only goes so far as to call it "near-mythical."

gregwtmtno 13y ago

Article dated almost a year ago.

kristopolous 13y ago
if you think that's old, you should check out the rock.

johnohara 13y ago

How does the sunstone work? If you put a dot on top of the crystal and look at it from below, two dots appear, because the light is "depolarised" and fractured along different axes. You then rotate the crystal until the two points have exactly the same intensity or darkness. I like stories about rediscovered ancient technologies but in this case, a youtube video, an image or even an animation of the device would have been helpful.

kristopolous 13y ago
you can find a number of shaky-cam amateur examples on youtube of them. I'm quite surprised that there isn't some googlable drawing of the thing in a textbook-quality form - you know, like http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/images/spectra/prismdispersion.gif http://outreach.atnf.csiro.au/education/senior/astrophysics/... this - but instead for sunstones.
- johnohara 13y ago
  Thanks kristopolous, I will. Appreciated.
kapnobatairza 13y ago
I know it is crappy looking, but I made one for you :D http://i.imgur.com/gIryQlj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/gIryQlj.jpg
- johnohara 13y ago
  Pleasant surprise. Thank you for showing me how to navigate a professional career path too.
  - kapnobatairza 13y ago
    Not quite sure how I helped you with the latter but I am glad to help!

k2enemy 13y ago

Previous discussion here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5342104 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5342104

Zenst 13y ago

Article seems like a rehash of older news - for example http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21693140 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21693140

deleted 13y ago

[deleted]