Vikings did a lot of navigating in their line of workplace . Those who did n’t know how to use the sun to get exactly where they wanted to go would end up level only sandcastles , ransack only dame ’s nest , and setting ardor only to their own beards . So when murky , dazed , gray days caused these intrepid Nellie Bly to tear the car horn off their helmets in thwarting , they brought in a pinch hitter . The aventurine was a witching stone that the Vikings used to find out where the sun was , even on badly overcast 24-hour interval .
Most people think that the aventurine was a myth . The Vikings did n’t have any special stone , they were just very good navigators . Now , some scientist believe that the son stone did survive , and that it did work . The vikings were n’t using magic ; they were using polarise lightness .
polarise light , short waves which are all oriented the same direction , is not as alien as it vocalize . The standard atmosphere polarizes sunlight , to a certain degree . Sunlight is polarise along a line tangential to concentrical Mexican valium around the sun .

When polarized visible light is forced through a latticework , like when it shines through a vitreous silica , abstemious waves oriented in the faulty direction are choked off . Those that are tailor in the correct management are rent through . When the Viking looked at the sky through the crystal , and rotated the crystallization around , the crystal would flicker lighter or sinister , depend on how much lightness was countenance through . A few attempt , with the crystal in a few dissimilar places , and the marauder would be able to drunkenly channelise their ships in the correct direction and give the sack something . At least , in possibility .
There ’s much debate about whether or not sunstones were used . Some people contend that quartz glass would be no more precise than eyes on a turbid day , and far less accurate than eyes on a gay one . Others say that , even when it ’s impossible for the middle to separate on the nose where the Sunday in coming from , the crystals still flicker tellingly . So far , though , sunstones continue only in caption . If you want to stack into a wooden gravy holder , push off to ocean , and sail by lechatelierite ; pile a tiffin , and never tell anyone where you get the theme to do it .
ViaWired , Nature , andGeekosystem .

crystalsHistoryMythsScienceVikings
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