Did Vikings navigate by polarized light?

'Sunstone' crystals may have helped seafarers to find the Sun on cloudy days.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Horváth, G. et al. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B 366, 772-782 (2011).
Article Google Scholar
Ramskou, T. Skalk 2, 16-17 (1967).
Google Scholar
Roslund, C. & Beckman, C. Appl. Opt. 33, 4754-4755 (1994).
Article ADS Google Scholar
Barta, A., Horváth, G. & Meyer-Rochow, V. B. J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 22, 1023-1034 (2005).
Article ADS Google Scholar
Hegedüs, R., Åkesson, S., Wehner, R. & Horváth, G. Proc. R. Soc. A 463, 1081-1095 (2007).
Article ADS Google Scholar
Hegedüs, R., Åkesson, S. & Horváth, G. J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 24, 2347-2356 (2007).
Article ADS Google Scholar

Authors

Jo Marchant
View author publications
You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Marchant, J. Did Vikings navigate by polarized light?. Nature (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/news.2011.58