A WWII submarine detector helped map seafloor magnetic stripes and prove plates move

Originally designed for World War II, a submarine detection device has played a crucial role in advancing Earth science. The fluxgate magnetometer, adapted by scientists, allowed for the exploration of the seafloor’s magnetic patterns. These discoveries lent significant support to the theories of plate tectonics and seafloor spreading. Building on Carl Friedrich Gauss’s foundational work, this technology unveiled the mysteries of Earth’s magnetic reversals and continental drift.