Researchers discover new kind of magnetism. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38330121/)

These scientists wanted to find out if there are more than 200 materials that can become something called "altermagnets." Altermagnets are special because they can change their magnetic properties. Just a few years ago, some scientists predicted that there could be so many of these materials.

To test this prediction, the scientists did some experiments. They took different materials and studied them very carefully. They checked if these materials could become altermagnets by changing their magnetic properties.

The scientists used special tools and machines to measure the magnetic properties of each material. They observed how the magnetic properties changed when they applied different conditions, like temperature or pressure, to the materials.

After testing more than 200 materials, the scientists found that their prediction was correct! They discovered that many of these materials could indeed become altermagnets. This is exciting because it means that there are many new possibilities for using these materials in the future.

Now, scientists can continue studying these altermagnets and find out how they can be used in things like computers, phones, and other devices. This study helps us understand more about the properties of different materials and how they can be useful in our everyday lives.

Savitsky Z. Researchers discover new kind of magnetism. Science. 2024 Feb 9;383(6683):574-575. doi: 10.1126/science.ado5309. Epub 2024 Feb 8.