Case diameter1 tenths m
66.7Ant antennae
4.3 hundredthsPorta-potty heights
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Magnetic Compass
A magnetized needle that reshaped global navigation/Inventions & Discoveries
The magnetic compass was first used for navigation in China during the Song Dynasty around the 11th century. A typical early mariner's compass consisted of a magnetized iron needle floating in a bowl of water, later mounted on a pivot inside a brass case about 10 cm in diameter. This simple device enabled the Age of Exploration and made ocean crossings possible without relying solely on visible stars.
Measurements
Needle length6 hundredths m
2 tenthsAnt hill heights
1.5 quintillionthsProxima Centauri trips
Mass2.5 tenths kg
5 hundredthsHuman heads
3 billionthsWashington Monuments
3.3 thousandthsKeanu Reeveses
Case depth4 hundredths m
1.6Cherry tomatoes
1.7 hundredthsCorn stalk heights
181 millionthsHoover Dam heights
Age of invention31.5 billion s
175 millionCommercial breaks
31.5 billionMississippis
Circa 1040 CE