Cov hlau nplaum tsis tau tsim los ntawm tib neeg, lawv yog cov hlau nplaum ntuj. Cov Greeks thiab Suav thaum ub nrhiav tau ib lub pob zeb uas muaj hlau nplaum nyob rau hauv qhov, hu nws "hlau-absorbing pob zeb". Lub pob zeb magically khaws cov me me ntawm cov hlau thiab ib txwm taw tes rau tib qho kev taw qhia tom qab ua viav vias ntawm qhov xav tau. Cov neeg taug kev thaum ntxov tau siv cov hlau nplaum no ua lawv lub ntsej muag ntxov tshaj plaws kom pom kev taw qhia ntawm hiav txwv. Qhov kev tshawb pom ntxov tshaj plaws thiab siv cov hlau nplaum yuav tsum yog Suav, uas yog, kev siv cov hlau nplaum los ua "compasses", yog ib qho ntawm plaub qhov kev tsim khoom loj hauv Suav teb.
Tom qab ntau txhiab xyoo ntawm txoj kev loj hlob, niaj hnub no hlau nplaum tau dhau los ua cov khoom muaj zog hauv peb lub neej. Los ntawm kev sib xyaw cov khoom sib txawv ntawm cov khoom sib txawv, cov nyhuv tib yam li magnetite tuaj yeem ua tiav, thiab lub zog sib nqus kuj tuaj yeem txhim kho. Cov hlau nplaum cuav tau tshwm sim hauv lub xyoo pua 18th, tab sis cov txheej txheem ntawm kev ua cov khoom sib nqus muaj zog qeeb heev, kom txog rau thaum xyoo 2020 ntawm xyoo pua 20th ua Alnicot (Alnico). Tom qab ntawd, ferrite (Ferrite) tau tsim nyob rau xyoo 50s ntawm lub xyoo pua 20th, thiab cov hlau nplaum tsis tshua muaj ntiaj teb [Ntshav ntiaj teb hlau nplaum, suav nrog NdFeB thiab samarium cobalt (SmCo)) tau tsim nyob rau xyoo 70s. Txog tam sim no, cov cuab yeej sib nqus tau tsim kho sai, thiab cov khoom siv hlau nplaum muaj zog kuj tau ua cov khoom me me ntxiv.
