Quantifying natural phenomena was all the rage among early 17th century scientists. As they grappled with measuring heat and cold, several came up with the thermoscope. This thin-necked flask was warmed between the hands and inverted over a dish of water; the water level rose in the flask in relation to the temperature of the air inside it.
Try this at home: Fill a pie pan with an inch of water and float a small piece of cork in it. Next, stroke a needle from the middle to the tip 15 times with a magnet. Lay the needle across the centre of the cork and watch as it slowly turns to point north. Congratulations! You've made a compass.