While we use magnets for countless different things every day, people are still coming up with new, innovative ways to harness the power of magnetism for their own purposes. Depending on the situation people use magnets for any number of things from fixing problems and creating DIY magnet crafts to making scientific discoveries in laboratories and in space. Here are a few things we can use magnets for that you would never guess.
1. Defoaming Beer
Gushing occurs when a beer overflows with foam. The foam is a result of fungi infecting the barley grains at the beer’s malt base. Surface proteins called hydrophobins latch to the barley making it too bubbly. When an antifoaming agent called hops is added the hydrophobins bind to the hops before getting to the barley. So, where do magnets come in? Scientists applied a
magnetic field to malt beer infused with hops. The magnetism caused the hops to spread out into smaller particles making it a more effective antifoaming agent.
2. Traveling On A Motorcycle
When you’re traveling on a motorcycle, how do you navigate? It’s easier in a car where you can use a map that won’t blow away or mount your phone on the dashboard so you can see the directions easily. Speeding down the highway on a motorcycle makes both of those options significantly more difficult and dangerous. For bikers who don’t want to get lost, you can use neodymium magnets to secure directions onto the bike. With strong magnets, you don’t have to worry about the paper getting loose and you don’t have to worry about your phone being damaged by magnets.
3. ‘Sixth Sense’
A few people opt to undergo an unusual operation where they are given
magnetic implants. The small magnetic implant inserted just beneath the skin, allows them to sense invisible magnetic fields and pick up paper clips with little effort. Getting a foreign object like a magnet implanted inside your body, however, is a risky procedure without much practical use. And, the strength of the magnet fades over time.
There are several more weird uses of magnets discussed in previous posts. You can learn about how
magnets were used to study honey bees and
how they can be used to clean oil spills. Have you come across any interesting or unusual ways in which magnets are used? Feel free to leave a comment!
