INVISIBLE FORCES

10 Facts About Magnetism That Will Attract Your Attention

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Magnetism is one of the fundamental forces of our world, influencing everything from the structure of the universe to the behavior of living organisms. And from guiding migratory birds to powering MRI machines, the deep impact of magnetism on our everyday lives cannot be overstated.

Jump into the rabbit hole of the magnetic realm with these 10 peculiar facts that will leave you positively charged!

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As crazy as it sounds, every few hundred thousand years, Earth's magnetic field flips completely, causing the north and south poles to switch places. This strange phenomenon, known as geomagnetic reversal, has happened hundreds of times in Earth's history. Its cause remains elusive, and there’s no way to predict when the next one might occur. However, while a magnetic reversal could certainly wreak havoc on communication systems and power grids worldwide, it wouldn’t happen overnight, as the process takes several thousands of years.

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You might be familiar with the fact that trains and other large ferrous objects can effortlessly be made to levitate with the aid of magnetism. But did you know that even tiny creatures like frogs and small mammals can be levitated using strong magnetic fields? This is because water is diamagnetic - meaning that it repels magnetic fields - and under the influence of a sufficiently powerful magnetic field, droplets and even living organisms can be made to seemingly float.

Credit: ESO/L. Calçada, CC BY 4.0

Magnetars are neutron stars with incredibly powerful magnetic fields. They can generate magnetic fields a quadrillion times stronger than that of Earth. These extreme magnets can disrupt the electron clouds of atoms from thousands of kilometers away.

It has been suggested that magnetars are the source of fast radio bursts, a strange deep-space phenomenon that resembles intentional radio signals that have puzzled scientists for decades.

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Several animals, including bees, sea turtles, and salmon, possess magnetoreception, the ability to sense magnetic fields. They use this ability for navigation, migration, and general orientation. Birds, in particular, use this ability to easily navigate the skies even on cloudy days or at night. Some scientists believe that even humans possess a dormant or semi-subconscious magnetic sense, but research into this exciting field is still in its infancy.

Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, CC BY 2.0

The Sun exerts a tremendous magnetic influence on our planet. Solar flares and sunspots, for example, are caused by intense bursts of magnetic activity on its surface. These eruptions release vast amounts of energy and can seriously affect communication systems on Earth and even weaken the protective effect of our planetary magnetic field.

Credit: National Cancer Institute

Magnetism finds countless applications in medicine, with one of the most successful being MRI or Magnetic Resonance Imaging devices. MRI machines use powerful magnetic fields and radio waves to generate detailed images of the body's internal structures. Since its development in the late 70s, this non-invasive medical imaging technique has revolutionized diagnosis and treatment in healthcare globally.

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Auroras, also known as the Northern and Southern Lights, are caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. The shape and color of auroras are determined by the strength and direction of these magnetic fields. Interestingly, large geomagnetic storms can influence the latitude at which auroras can be observed. During particularly strong historical events, they have been observed as far south as the Mediterranean.

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Magnetic refrigeration is a cooling technology that exploits the inherent thermal properties of magnetic fields to achieve refrigeration. While the technology has the potential to be more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly compared to traditional refrigeration methods, no commercially viable magnetic refrigerator has been made to this date.

Credit: Adrian Lange

Some bacteria have tiny magnetic crystals inside their bodies, allowing them to align with Earth's magnetic field. This helps them navigate and find optimal environments for survival, such as low-oxygen habitats. However, unlike magnetoreception, this process is more akin to the movement of a compass needle, as the bacteria are forced into alignment rather than choosing to move in a certain direction.

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Magnetic storage devices, like hard disk drives and magnetic tape, use magnetization to store digital data. This is often accomplished by encoding a signal through small variations in electrical current that embed a proportional magnetic distribution into the storage device. Later, this distribution can be read to faithfully reproduce the original signal. Despite advancements in solid-state storage technology, magnetic storage remains a cost-effective and reliable option for large-scale data storage.

BE READY FOR SOME SERIOUS LATIN AND GREEK.

Step Into The Fascinating World Of Science With These 12 Obscure Terms!

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Give it a bit of time, and even the tiniest, most obscure corner of human knowledge will develop its own terminology. What can it be said, then, of the biggest generator of a specific lexicon in the world? We're talking, of course, about science.

Stepping into the fascinating realm of scientific discovery, we encounter a captivating linguistic landscape adorned with unusual terms that defy the ordinary. From the enigmatic boundaries of the magnetopause to the haunting resonance of kwashiorkor in the realm of malnutrition, and the whimsical allure of Ittibitium, each term is a testament to the inventiveness of scientific language. Take a look at twelve of these terms and see if you are familiar with any of them.

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Coming from the Latin word obdormire, meaning "to fall asleep", obdormition refers to that feeling of numbness when an arm or leg has "gone to sleep", a phenomenon familiar to many but often nameless. It is the sensation of numbness or tingling in a limb, commonly experienced when pressure is applied to nerves, momentarily disrupting normal sensations.

It is a transient condition, thankfully distinct from long-lasting numbness, and often linked to the compression of nerves during prolonged periods of immobility. While the term may not be a household name, its concise articulation captures a distinctive aspect of human physiology.

Credit: Liane Metzler

Originating from the Ga language of Ghana, which translates to "the sickness of the weaning," kwashiorkor is a severe form of protein-energy deficiency. Afflicting children in impoverished regions, kwashiorkor manifests through swollen bellies, skin lesions, and stunted growth.

The term describes the inadequate nutrition that often arises when a child is weaned from breast milk and transitions to a diet lacking essential proteins.

Credit: Matteo Fusco

Magnetopause is the frontier between our Earth and the powerful forces of the solar wind. Coined by merging "magnet" and "pause", it is the point where the Earth's magnetic field meets the solar wind's magnetic field, resulting in a complex and ever-shifting interface.

The magnetopause serves as a protective shield, deflecting the charged particles of the solar wind and preventing their direct entry into our planet's magnetosphere. Studying this invisible frontier is critical for understanding space weather and its potential impact on our technological infrastructure.

Credit: Amirali Mirhashemian

Not all scientific terms have origins as serious as most people would think. The "bittium" is a category of small sea snails. And the "ittibitium" is an even smaller category of marine gastropod mollusks. Yes, as in "itty-bitty", meaning very small.

This term showcases the mixed nature of science, blending technical precision with a touch of linguistic artistry.

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Rooted in the Latin word quantus, meaning "how much," quantum heralds a paradigm shift in our understanding of the fundamental fabric of reality. Coined in the early 20th century by Max Planck, the father of quantum theory, the term describes the discrete nature of energy.

Quantum mechanics, a cornerstone of modern physics, has ushered in a new era of understanding subatomic phenomena. Beyond its scientific import, "quantum" has permeated popular culture, becoming synonymous with unpredictability and complexity.

Credit: D A V I D S O N L U N A

Gollumjapyx Smeagol may sound like a creation from the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, but it is, in fact, a scientific term with roots deeply embedded in biodiversity. Named after the iconic character from The Lord of the Rings, this name belongs to a newly discovered genus of springtails—tiny arthropods that inhabit soil and leaf litter.

Scientists probably chose this nomenclature to add a touch of pop culture into the realm of taxonomy. Even in the rigid world of science, the imagination can leave an indelible mark.

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The Coriolis effect derives its name from the French engineer and mathematician Gaspard-Gustave de Coriolis. First described in the 19th century, this effect manifests as a result of the Earth's rotation, influencing the movement of air masses and ocean currents.

As the Earth spins on its axis, objects in motion, such as winds or ocean currents, appear to deflect to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere. This apparent deviation, a consequence of the conservation of angular momentum, has profound implications for global weather patterns and ocean circulation.

Credit: Jaimie Philips

A word rooted in the Latin cotyledon, meaning "seed leaf" describes the embryonic journey of a plant. Functioning as the first leaf or pair of leaves to emerge from the seed during germination, cotyledons play a crucial role in nourishing and sustaining the developing plant before true leaves take over photosynthetic duties.

The cotyledon serves as a bridge between the seedling stage and the establishment of a mature plant.

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Another word taken from the realm of plants, xylem is a word that comes from the Greek xylon, meaning "wood". Xylem tissue forms the woody core of a plant, conducting water from roots to leaves while providing structural support.

This vascular tissue is of extreme importance since it conducts water and dissolved nutrients upwards from the root and also helps to form the woody element in the stem.

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Acanthobothrium zimmeri designates a species of tapeworm. The first part of the term is a composite of acantho, referring to spines, and bothrium, describing a type of attachment organ in tapeworms. The second part of the term, zimmeri, pays homage to the renowned science writer and columnist Carl V. Zimmer.

This name not only tells us of the characteristics of a particular organism but also reveals the interconnectedness of scientific fields and the homage paid to influential figures in the discipline.

Credit: Marat Gilyadzinov

Who said science names can’t rhyme? "Cedusa medusa" dives into the fascinating realm of marine biology. This term combines cedusa, a reference to the larval stage of certain jellyfish, and "medusa", which is the adult, umbrella-shaped form of these gelatinous organisms.

The dual nomenclature captures the life cycle of jellyfish, where the cedusa represents the early developmental phase, eventually metamorphosing into the recognizable medusa form.

Credit: James Wainscoat

We close this list with something even more impressive than a name that rhymes: a palindrome. "Orizabus subaziro" might sound like a fantastical creature from a forgotten myth, but it's actually the scientific name for a rather unassuming beetle, native to the lush mountain forests of Oaxaca, Mexico.

The first half, orizabus, originates from Greek, whereas orizaba refers to the majestic Pico de Orizaba, the highest mountain in Mexico. This choice isn't accidental—like the peak soaring above the clouds, this genus of beetles boasts impressive horns adorning the males' heads, earning them the moniker "horned rhinoceros beetles". And the second part, subaziro, delves into indigenous Zapotec, and spoken in Oax translates to "underground fire," aptly describing the beetle's nocturnal habits and their penchant for burrowing.