Just in time for Halloween, we bring you one of the scariest scenarios we can imagine: a world without magnets! It’s easy to take magnets for granted, but the truth is that without them and other magnetic forces, life on Earth would be pretty different and frankly, pretty terrible. Here are just a few things that would definitely change.
  1. Recycling
Many recycling centers around the world depend on magnets to help sort out metals from other recyclable or compostable materials. Without these magnets, this would most likely have to be done by hand, taking much longer. By using magnets, recycling centers can ensure all materials are repurposed properly while cutting down on landfill.
  1. Music
While acoustic music is wonderful, that’s all we’d have without magnets. You can forget about listening to music through a stereo or in your car because speakers require magnets. Fan of rock and roll? Say goodbye to electric guitars. They use magnetic pickups to carry the sound to amplifiers.
  1. Navigation
While GPS is arguably one of the greatest inventions in recent history, explorers and travellers alike once had to rely on their trusty compasses. Just think how differently America would look if early settlers didn’t know where they were going. One good example is the Lewis and Clark expedition. Much of their journey was spent following every twist and turn of the Missouri River, but even this was disorienting. Without a trusty compass, who knows if they would’ve ever made it all the way to Oregon!
  1. Energy
While magnets don’t actually contain energy, they still play a very important role in other forms of power. One such example is our entire electrical grid. When electricity leaves a power plant, its voltage is way too high to use in your home. This is why it passes through transformers where magnetic fields are generated that are able to change the voltage down to a usable 110. Magnets can also be used to located deposits of iron ore and other energy-related commodities like coal. In fact, solar energy is the only form that doesn’t require any magnetic involvement, but this only accounts for .0001% of all energy.
  1. Planet Earth
Even if you think you could carry on without everything we’ve listed, it would all still be moot. Earth is essentially a giant magnet, emitting a force field that surrounds the entire planet. This magnetic field repels solar wind—huge quantities of ultraviolet light and radiation. Without the magnetic field, Earth would be uninhabitable.
  1. Everything Else
And if we haven’t belabored the point enough, here are few more things that wouldn’t exist without magnets: cell phones, computer hard drives, MRI machines, refrigerators, hybrid cars, electric can openers, telescopes, monorails, headphones, televisions, cassette tape, credit cards, microwaves—just to name a few. And maybe most importantly, magnets give those of us at Apex Magnets a reason to come to work. We’re passionate about magnets and their diverse list of uses. Did we miss your favorite magnetic use? Let us know about it!