Editing Geophysics (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of geophysics}}
Geophysics emerged as a separate discipline only in the 19th century, from the intersection of [[physical geography]], [[geology]], [[astronomy]], meteorology, and physics.<ref name=history_resources>{{harvnb|Hardy|Goodman|2005}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Schröder|first=W.|title=History of geophysics|journal=Acta Geodaetica et Geophysica Hungarica|year=2010|volume=45|issue=2|pages=253–261|doi=10.1556/AGeod.45.2010.2.9|bibcode=2010AGGH...45..253S |s2cid=122239663}}</ref> The first known use of the word ''geophysics'' was in German ("Geophysik") by [[Julius Fröbel]] in 1834.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Varga |first=P. |date=2009 |title=Common roots of modern seismology and of earth tide research. A historical overview |url=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0264370709000994 |journal=Journal of Geodynamics |language=en |volume=48 |issue=3–5 |pages=241–246 |doi=10.1016/j.jog.2009.09.032|bibcode=2009JGeo...48..241V |s2cid=129513373 }}</ref> However, many geophysical phenomena – such as the Earth's magnetic field and earthquakes – have been investigated since the [[Ancient history|ancient era]].

=== Ancient and classical eras ===
[[Image:EastHanSeismograph.JPG|thumbnail|upright|Replica of [[Zhang Heng]]'s seismoscope, possibly the first contribution to [[seismology]] |alt=Picture of ornate urn-like device with spouts in the shape of dragons]]
The magnetic compass existed in China back as far as the fourth century BC. It was used as much for [[feng shui]] as for navigation on land. It was not until good steel needles could be forged that compasses were used for navigation at sea; before that, they could not retain their magnetism long enough to be useful. The first mention of a compass in Europe was in 1190 AD.<ref>{{harvnb|Temple|2006|pp=162–166}}</ref>

In circa 240 BC, [[Eratosthenes]] of Cyrene deduced that the Earth was round and measured the [[circumference of Earth]] with great precision.<ref name="russo273277">{{cite book |last=Russo |first=Lucio |author-link=Lucio Russo |date=2004 |title=The Forgotten Revolution |url=https://archive.org/details/forgottenrevolut00russ_217|url-access=limited |location=Berlin |publisher=Springer |page=[https://archive.org/details/forgottenrevolut00russ_217/page/n277 273]–277}}</ref> He developed a system of [[latitude]] and [[longitude]].<ref name=Eratosthenes>{{harvnb|Eratosthenes|2010}}</ref>

Perhaps the earliest contribution to seismology was the invention of a [[seismoscope]] by the prolific inventor [[Zhang Heng]] in 132 AD.<ref>{{harvnb|Temple|2006|pp=177–181}}</ref> This instrument was designed to drop a bronze ball from the mouth of a dragon into the mouth of a toad. By looking at which of eight toads had the ball, one could determine the direction of the earthquake. It was 1571 years before the first design for a seismoscope was published in Europe, by [[Jean de Hautefeuille|Jean de la Hautefeuille]]. It was never built.<ref name=Dewey>{{harvnb|Dewey|Byerly|1969}}</ref>

=== Beginnings of modern science ===
The 17th century had major milestones that marked the beginning of modern science. In 1600, [[William Gilbert (physicist)|William Gilbert]] release a publication titled ''[[De Magnete]]'' (1600) where he conducted  series of experiments on both natural magnets  (called [[Lodestone|'loadstones]]') and artificially magnetized iron.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=Review of "De Magnete" |url=https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/earthmag/DMGRev2.htm |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov}}</ref> His experiments lead to observations involving a small compass needle ([[versorium]]) which replicated magnetic behaviours when subjected to a spherical magnet, along with it experiencing '[[magnetic dip]]s' when it was pivoted on a horizontal axis.<ref name=":12" /> HIs findings led to the deduction that compasses point north due to the Earth itself being a giant magnet.<ref name=":12" />

In 1687 [[Isaac Newton]] published his work titled ''[[Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica|Principia]]'' which was pivotal in the development of modern scientific fields such as [[astronomy]] and [[physics]].<ref name=":22">{{Citation |last=Smith |first=George |title=Newton's Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica |date=2008 |encyclopedia=The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy |editor-last=Zalta |editor-first=Edward N. |url=https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2008/entries/newton-principia/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |edition=Winter 2008 |publisher=Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University}}</ref> In it, Newton both laid the foundations for [[classical mechanics]] and [[gravitation]], as well as explained different geophysical phenomena such as the [[Axial precession|precession of the equinox]] (the orbit of whole star patterns along an [[Ecliptical pole|ecliptic axis]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Institute of Physics |date=February 18, 2024 |title=Precession of the equinoxes |url=https://spark.iop.org/precession-equinoxes#:~:text=The%20precession%20of%20the%20equinoxes%20is%20a%20slow%20rotation%20of,BC%20to%20~120%20BC). |access-date=February 18, 2024}}</ref> [[Newton's law of universal gravitation|Newton's theory of gravity]] had gained so much success, that it resulted in changing the main objective of physics in that era to unravel natures fundamental forces, and their characterizations in laws.<ref name=":22" />

The first [[seismometer]], an instrument capable of keeping a continuous record of seismic activity, was built by [[James David Forbes|James Forbes]] in 1844.<ref name=Dewey/>