March 2015

Do you know that the most powerful magnets in the universe are actually a type of star. Magnetars are the remains of stars that have “run out of fuel”, or in other words, hydrogen. The star is essentially dying, and when this happens, it tries to compensate for the lack of fuel by burning all the types of elements. This smorgasbord of fuels causes the star to burn as a bright red giant, but only for a temporary time. Eventually, the burning causes the star to burst into a supernova explosion. Continue reading →

Some would argue that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines have become as essential to the medical field as blood tests when it comes to diagnosing and treating patients. MRIs allow doctors to see inside the human body non-invasively. A physician named Raymond Damadian and not an engineer was actually the inventor of the earliest MRI model. Recently, MRIs have even been used to guide ultrasound waves in Alzheimer’s treatment. You may already know that magnets are used in magnetic resonance imaging machines, but do you know what types of magnets are used or how it works?  In this blog, we are taking a look at how the magnets in MRIs allow us to see inside the human body. Continue reading →

Easter will be here in a flash -- or hop. Bunnies may be the mascot of the holiday in the U.S., but baskets are almost as iconic. The tradition of giving baskets filled with goodies during Easter seems to tie to the bunny. In other words, the Easter bunny is to baskets as Santa is to gifts -- the two go hand in hand. If you haven’t put your Easter baskets together yet, we have a few creative ideas for basket stuffers. The following basket stuffers are great for grown-up party favors or teacher gifts. Continue reading →

Decorating eggs in festive colors and patterns is one of the most well-known Easter traditions of all time. Some experts say that the tradition started as far back as the 13th century. There are several possible reasons why eggs in particular are associated with the holiday. One idea is that since eggs symbolize new life, it could represent the beginning of the spring season or have a more religious connection to Jesus’ resurrection. The practice of decorating them is said to have started because eggs were often forbidden food during Lent, so people would decorate them, then eat them in celebration. Nowadays, they are more a symbol of the Easter holiday and egg hunting. This Easter you can create your own eggs in the form of some DIY magnets. Continue reading →

Magnets can do some amazing things -- like accelerate a train at speeds over 300 mph or power a MRI to look through the human body. However, sometimes its just fun to conduct experiments with them. One interesting experiment to do is to make a paperclip levitate, or seem to float in midair. The experiment is about as simple as it gets, and you can do it with everyday items that you probably have laying around your house. Here’s how you can do it. Continue reading →

Magnets are interesting and strange materials. There are still some mysteries that scientists and researchers have yet to solve when it comes to magnets. However, some mysteries have been solved. In this blog, we have compiled a list of some of the strangest facts about magnets and magnetism. Continue reading →

Superconducting magnets are used in MRIs, Maglev trains, particle accelerators and other technologies that often use magnetism and high power conditions to operate. What are superconducting magnets? First, in order to understand what superconducting magnets are we should discuss superconductors and electromagnets. Continue reading →

Saying all sand is magnetic or non-magnetic would be virtually impossible, or frankly, inaccurate. Most sand is created from a natural process called weathering, which could take anywhere from hundreds or millions of years to occur. This process is essentially when the environmental elements breakdown minerals, rocks, and chemicals together over a certain period of time. Continue reading →

Every permanent magnet has a north pole and a south pole. Even if you cut a magnet in half, the two remaining pieces will have a north and south pole. And if you know anything about magnetism, you know that opposites attract. The north pole and south pole of two magnets will pull towards each other, whereas two similar poles will repel each other. Magnetic attraction and repulsion are perhaps the simplest and most well-known properties of magnets. In this experiment, we’re creating a device that shows how magnetic repulsion works and makes learning about it fun. Continue reading →

Rare earth magnets are magnets that are made from at least one of the seventeen rare earth metals on the periodic table of elements. Mainly it is from one of the fifteen lanthanides that are marked in light orange in the periodic table below. Continue reading →