While most rare earth magnets are made from the rock hard materials we’re familiar with, not all appear in that classic solid form. Ferrofluid is a stable colloidal suspension of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. So, simply, it is a liquid that contains tiny magnetic particles. It’s magnetic properties comes from the magnetized iron oxide it contains. These particles are known as nanoparticles because of their small size -- the particles are actually so small that they never fully settle to the bottom of their container! Continue reading →
If you’ve ever been alone in an old house or graveyard at night, it might seem like every little sound is amplified and menacing. The hair on the back of your neck stands up and you feel like someone is watching you. Even if though you don’t believe in ghosts, in certain spooky situations it’s not difficult to imagine a ghostly apparition coming to get you. So, what’s causing your normally rational brain to conjure ghosts and make you feel paranoid? It might be that a nearby electromagnetic field is bringing back the dead. Continue reading →
You may remember wormholes as a phenomenon of science fiction capable of transporting objects over great distances due to a wrinkle in space and time from references in pop culture such as Star Trek or Interstellar. But wormholes are much more than works of science fiction as was recently demonstrated by scientists in the physics department at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona who were able to generate a magnetic wormhole in their lab. Continue reading →
Can you imagine if the Earth were orbiting two stars instead of just the Sun? Our solar system would then become a binary solar system and, if science fiction books and movies are to be believed, the weather would be pretty hot. You may remember how a dusty, desert planet called Tatooine from the Star Wars movies orbited two stars. Continue reading →
In the future, not only could you be zooming around on a hoverboard, but your house may also float and your robot assistant at work could levitate to avoid obstacles and maintain a sterile space. This may seem too far-fetched to be happening anytime soon, but a company called Arx Pax is working to change that with magnetic field architecture (MFA). Continue reading →
In the news recently, you may have seen a few companies debut their versions of magnetic hoverboards such as Lexus and Arx Pax. While the hoverboards aren’t quite ready for public consumption, they did pique the interests of NASA scientists. NASA partnered with Arx Pax to use their Hendo Hoverboard engine technology to develop a magnetic ‘tractor beam’. So, what is a ‘tractor beam’ and what does it have to do with the Hendo Hoverboard? Continue reading →
Superheroes frequently defy science with their abilities and daring feats. And some of the concepts behind their super powers, however unlikely, involve magnetism. Some superheroes use magnetism more than others - I’m sure you’ve heard of Magneto. So, here are a few other plotlines with lesser known magnetic properties. Continue reading →
The modern version of treasure hunting doesn’t involve chests filled with gold or cloth maps marked with an X. Instead of searching for hidden treasure buried beneath the sand, you can find a network of different objects and containers carefully disguised all over the world and recorded as geocaches. Geocaching is a treasure hunting game where you can hide objects with varying degrees of value in interesting places. Then, other geocachers have to follow your clues and hints in order to locate the hidden treasure. Continue reading →
Some would say cute puppies and kittens have animal magnetism. Others might say their significant others or favorite celebrities have animal magnetism. No matter who you think has qualities of magnetism, the origins of the phrase and recent research into the theory might surprise you. Continue reading →
Electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) occur when a rapidly accelerating electric current generates a magnetic field and causes a burst of electromagnetic energy. Commonly caused by lightning strikes, EMPs can cause power outages and can even damage electronics by short-circuiting them. While we have ways of protecting ourselves against EMPs caused by lightning, can we use EMPs for our own purposes? Continue reading →
While most rare earth magnets are made from the rock hard materials we’re familiar with, not all appear in that classic solid form. Ferrofluid is a stable colloidal suspension of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. So, simply, it is a liquid that contains tiny magnetic particles. It’s magnetic properties comes from the magnetized iron oxide it contains. These particles are known as nanoparticles because of their small size -- the particles are actually so small that they never fully settle to the bottom of their container! Continue reading →
If you’ve ever been alone in an old house or graveyard at night, it might seem like every little sound is amplified and menacing. The hair on the back of your neck stands up and you feel like someone is watching you. Even if though you don’t believe in ghosts, in certain spooky situations it’s not difficult to imagine a ghostly apparition coming to get you. So, what’s causing your normally rational brain to conjure ghosts and make you feel paranoid? It might be that a nearby electromagnetic field is bringing back the dead. Continue reading →
You may remember wormholes as a phenomenon of science fiction capable of transporting objects over great distances due to a wrinkle in space and time from references in pop culture such as Star Trek or Interstellar. But wormholes are much more than works of science fiction as was recently demonstrated by scientists in the physics department at Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona who were able to generate a magnetic wormhole in their lab. Continue reading →
Can you imagine if the Earth were orbiting two stars instead of just the Sun? Our solar system would then become a binary solar system and, if science fiction books and movies are to be believed, the weather would be pretty hot. You may remember how a dusty, desert planet called Tatooine from the Star Wars movies orbited two stars. Continue reading →
In the future, not only could you be zooming around on a hoverboard, but your house may also float and your robot assistant at work could levitate to avoid obstacles and maintain a sterile space. This may seem too far-fetched to be happening anytime soon, but a company called Arx Pax is working to change that with magnetic field architecture (MFA). Continue reading →
In the news recently, you may have seen a few companies debut their versions of magnetic hoverboards such as Lexus and Arx Pax. While the hoverboards aren’t quite ready for public consumption, they did pique the interests of NASA scientists. NASA partnered with Arx Pax to use their Hendo Hoverboard engine technology to develop a magnetic ‘tractor beam’. So, what is a ‘tractor beam’ and what does it have to do with the Hendo Hoverboard? Continue reading →
Superheroes frequently defy science with their abilities and daring feats. And some of the concepts behind their super powers, however unlikely, involve magnetism. Some superheroes use magnetism more than others - I’m sure you’ve heard of Magneto. So, here are a few other plotlines with lesser known magnetic properties. Continue reading →
