Do you consider yourself to be a “life hack aficionado?” Can you cook a full breakfast (sunny-side up eggs included!) using just your hotel room iron?! Are you basically Bear Grylls? If so, you’ve hacked your way to a much easier life—and probably impressed a few friends along the way.

BUT, just because you know how to start a fire using steel wool doesn’t mean it’s time for you to rest on your laurels!

Let’s look at today’s hack, which features three materials that seem like they have absolutely nothing to do with one another: a leaf, some water, and a needle. Can you guess what type of magic the three supplies make?

We’re waaaaiiiiiiting….

Ok, we promise that we’re not asking you to solve a riddle with a deliberately baffling setup—the leaf, water, and needle really are the key materials used in one of the cleverest life hacks we’ve come across in a while.

Our brilliant buds over at Household Hacker, have compiled a video of the 20 ultimate survival life hacks, and while all of their suggestions were incredible, we think this one takes the cake…

How a needle, a leaf, and a puddle can help save your life

If you’ve ever lost your way in the woods before, you know just how terrifying the feeling can be, especially when you’re unprepared. We all know that packing along a compass on our outdoor excursions is a move that can keep us on the right path, but sometimes that little doo-dad escapes our hiking lists!

Luckily, the only materials that you’ll ever need if you find yourself in this situation are a needle, a leaf, and a small puddle of water. All you need to do is place a dry leaf in a deep-ish puddle of water (the puddle must be deep enough so that the leaf can freely float in it).

Next, wipe the needle on a piece of clothing MANY times (experts recommend up to 100 strokes) before gently placing it on the surface of the floating leaf. Once you do that, you should see your leaf quickly change directions in the water. When the leaf stops moving, the needle should be pointing North.

We did our research and found that this technique has been used for centuries and was even perfected in the era when pioneers were first exploring our vast country. Incredible stuff!

Who knew that repurposed materials—and a bit of skill on your part—could help save the day? To see the famous compass hack performed, as well as 19 other bonus hacks in action, be sure to watch Household Hacker’s video below. We can’t wait to try these out for ourselves!

We’d love to hear your thoughts on these helpful hacks! Have you tried any of these before? If so, do you have any advice on how to best execute them? Do you have a tried and true life hack of your own that you would like to share?