No single person “discovered” magnets, because natural magnetic stones were known in ancient times, long before formal science existed.

Ancient beginnings

  • Around 600–550 BCE, the ancient Greeks knew of naturally magnetic iron ore called lodestone (magnetite), which could attract iron.
  • A popular legend says a shepherd named Magnes in the region of Magnesia (in Greece) noticed the iron nails in his shoes and the tip of his staff sticking to a peculiar rock, leading to the story of the “first” magnet.

From lore to science

  • For many centuries, people used lodestones (for example, in early compasses) without really understanding how magnetism worked.
  • In 1600, English physician William Gilbert studied magnets systematically and showed that Earth itself behaves like a giant magnet, which is why he is often called the “father of magnetism,” not its discoverer.

Quick answer summary

  • Natural magnets (lodestones) were known to ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and Chinese, so there is no single historical discoverer.
  • The legendary discoverer in stories is the shepherd Magnes, while the key scientific pioneer who explained magnetism was William Gilbert in the 17th century.