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Don't always depend on GPS. Your sense of direction will thank you

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Life Kit

Don't always depend on GPS. Your sense of direction will thank you

May 10, 2024 • Yes, it's possible to get around without relying on your phone, say navigation experts. The first step is to let go of your fear of getting lost.

Eels May Use 'Magnetic Maps' As They Slither Across The Ocean

Young European eels (Anguilla anguilla) are called "glass eels" at that stage because they're transparent except for a dark spine down the middle. Philippe Garguil/Science Source hide caption

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Philippe Garguil/Science Source

The Two-Way

Eels May Use 'Magnetic Maps' As They Slither Across The Ocean

April 13, 2017 • Eels sometimes swim thousands of miles from their birthplace in the Atlantic to rivers and lakes where they live. Researchers say the creatures might use the Earth's magnetic field to find their way.

Eels May Use 'Magnetic Maps' As They Slither Across The Ocean

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U.S. Navy Brings Back Navigation By The Stars For Officers

Navigation aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Stout is done by computer, as is the case on many other ships. The U.S. Navy now wants more of its officers proficient in celestial navigation. Amanda Gray/U.S. Navy hide caption

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Amanda Gray/U.S. Navy

Science

U.S. Navy Brings Back Navigation By The Stars For Officers

February 22, 2016 • A decade after phasing out celestial navigation from its academy courses, the U.S. Navy has restarted that formal training. The shift comes at a time of growing anxiety over possible threats to GPS.

U.S. Navy Brings Back Navigation By The Stars For Officers

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Mr. Right Won't Get Lost, Knows How To Pack Bags In A Trunk

A couple from Namibia's Twe tribe outside their home. Tribe members took part in a study that examined the relationship between navigation skills and mating success. Layne Vashro/University of Utah hide caption

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Layne Vashro/University of Utah

Goats and Soda

Mr. Right Won't Get Lost, Knows How To Pack Bags In A Trunk

December 1, 2014 • Two tribes in Namibia played with computers and looked at maps. The results of these tests shed light on why guys who are expert navigators might father more children than men who get lost.

Drivers, Passengers Say Uber App Doesn't Always Yield Best Routes

Some Uber drivers and passengers complain that the app's built-in navigation doesn't give its drivers the best directions. Adam Berry/Getty Images hide caption

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Adam Berry/Getty Images

Technology

Drivers, Passengers Say Uber App Doesn't Always Yield Best Routes

September 21, 2014 • People love Uber, but they often complain the Uber app's built-in navigation doesn't give its drivers the best directions. The company says the app helps drivers and passengers travel efficiently.

The GPS In Your Head May Work A Lot Better Than That Phone

Which way do we turn here? A passageway in London's Soho neighborhood. ceajaegirl/Flickr hide caption

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Shots - Health News

The GPS In Your Head May Work A Lot Better Than That Phone

June 5, 2014 • The human brain uses two different specialized regions to navigate, scientists say, with one charting a straight line to the destination, and the other figuring out the turns along the way.