Magnet Facts

If you’re unfamiliar with the ultra-popular BBC scifi show, Doctor Who, the series follows the unnamed Doctor travelling through space and time in his blue box (TARDIS) and saving the universe time and time again. Like many science fiction series, Doctor Who employs a lot of imaginative, if not inconceivable, technology. There’s the TARDIS itself, which any Whovian will tell you is bigger on the inside; the Doctor’s trusty sonic screwdriver that’s capable of unlocking almost any door; and psychic paper that shows the reader exactly what they want to see. Yes, the tech in Doctor Who is what you’d expect from a show about time travel and aliens. This piqued our interest. Surely there had to be some instances of magnetism in its historic 50 years on air! We’ve searched space and time to bring you our favorite magnets from Doctor Who: Continue reading →

Since 1962, James Bond has marvelled audiences with his debonair charm, world-saving feats, and of course, his amazing gadgets! While the list of gadgets is certainly extensive, one very devoted blogger examined all 24 films for any magnetic tech .007 has used on Her Majesty’s secret service. Continue reading →

Magnetic hard drives store so much personal information in this day and age. So how do you get rid of them securely when your computer’s time is up? According to Tim McIntyre, program manager at Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Electrical and Electronics Systems Research Division, 115 million hard drives will reach the end of their use in 2016 alone. Why not put them to good use? Especially when that use does wonders for the world of magnets. Continue reading →

We use the word “magnetism” quite a bit. In general, magnetism is thought of as the simple attraction of two metals. However, magnetism is much more nuanced than this. Magnetism is classified in several different ways. It all comes down to the atoms that make up each element or compound. Furthermore, it depends on the charge of those atoms’ electrons and how they react (if at all) to magnetic fields. Physicist Michael Faraday determined that all objects are either diamagnetic (and repel magnetic fields) or paramagnetic (attract magnetic fields). Continue reading →

Back in 2003, The Toy Industry Association released its Century of Toys List. This comprehensive roll call looks at toys and playthings from nearly 100 years of American history. There are familiar faces for each generation. Continue reading →

If you’ve ever traveled to the UK, you may have noticed some differences in the currency. Obviously, it looks different and it’s called something else (what we call cents, the British call pence or simply “p”). But there are more contrasts at work. British coins are magnetic while American coins aren’t. If you’re like us here at Apex, this is certainly an interesting fact. Continue reading →

Origin stories were popular in numerous ancient cultures and it seems like every aspect of human life has a legend associated with it. This is particularly true of the ancient Greeks. Pandora’s Box explains how evil came into the world. Your voice’s echo is really just a mountain nymph responding to you. Even the passing of the seasons is tied up with the story of Demeter and her daughter Persephone. Magnets are no different. While the story might not be the most well-known of the Greek legends, the tale of Magnes the Shepherd is one of the earliest accounts of magnetism. Continue reading →

Part 2: Speakers and Amps In Part 1 of this post we discussed how magnets are used in guitar pickups to bring the sounds of rock alive. In part 2 we’re going to talk about how magnets are involved in the other end of the experience: hearing the music. Whether you’re listening to live rock or jamming out to your favorite album at home, magnets are involved. Amplifiers and speakers use magnets to catch vibrations by musical tones. These sounds are then magnified, allowing you to rock out. But how does it really work? Continue reading →

With summer in full swing, you probably have a few beach trips planned. Whether you’re a swimmer, surfer, or snorkeler, the threat of sharks may have crossed your mind at some point while exploring the ocean. Most of the time sharks are not nearly as bloodthirsty as the monster from Jaws, but if you’re worried, here are a few fun facts about sharks and magnets to keep in mind: Continue reading →

We often take the everyday words we use for granted. Where do they come from? How were they formed? When was the first time they were used? These are questions the study of etymology strives to answer. The subject of this blog post is the etymology of the word “magnet” and its derivations (magnetism, magnetize, magnetization). Continue reading →