1) Actually, given the ignorance demonstrated about magnetism in the original article, it might even be a complete accident.

The clay blank they chose to bake their "stone" out of, maybe turned out to be a highly ferromagnetic "terra rossa" and it picked up Earth's field as it cooled through Thermo-Remanant Magnetism (TRM). This is the same process whereby lavas pick-up a magnitic polarity as they cool in Earth's field.

For a smoothly rounded object, it's easy to make it rotate when you bring a big external magnet near it. Someone who doesn't understand magnetism, might see this as "magic".

2) I don't resile from my comments. This is a trivial con. Anyone who falls for it is necessarily gullible. Some people are fooling themselves, and some people are trying to fool others. Choose which hat you wear, but be aware that it has a large "L" embroidered on it.

3) And as for the "Moderator" stuff - you can go wash your mouth out with soap. I thoroughly refuse to alter my mode and manner of posting as "nick", just because I am also a Moderator. When I post as "Moderator Nick" - on SPACE only, I apply a different set of values and wear a different hat.

Here on "Off topic", I argue that I am free to post as I see fit.

If you want me to ALWAYS be a moderator, then I'll simply delete non-scientific stuff, including any and every reference to crop circles and contrails - but those are NOT the agreed "rules of engagement" for "Off Topic"...