Guiding the Progress from Primordial Attraction to Contemporary Innovation: The Magnetism Manifesto
In the distant past, human fascination with magnetism began with natural lodestones used as compasses in ancient China around 0 AD. This ancient technology laid the groundwork for a force that would eventually transform the modern world.
Historically, significant milestones include William Gilbert’s 1600 suggestion that Earth is a large magnet, Hans Christian Oersted’s 1820 discovery of electromagnetism, Michael Faraday’s 1831 discovery of electromagnetic induction, and Nikola Tesla’s 1883 work on rotating magnetic fields underpinning alternating current. The 20th century saw the development of various artificial magnets, notably the rare earth magnets including samarium-cobalt in the 1960s.
However, it was the 1984 independent discovery of neodymium-iron-boron (Nd2Fe14B) magnets by General Motors and Sumitomo Special Metals that truly revolutionised the landscape. These neodymium magnets are among the strongest permanent magnets known and have become indispensable in numerous technologies, including computer hard disk head actuators, loudspeakers, headphones, door locks, and advanced electronics. China currently dominates the production of neodymium magnets due to its control over rare earth mining, raising geopolitical issues particularly related to renewable energy technologies like wind turbines that sometimes use these magnets.
Today, magnetism is vital in both everyday devices and cutting-edge scientific research. Electromagnets, often superconducting and extremely powerful, are key components of major facilities like the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, where they steer particle beams at near light speed—illustrating the intersection of magnetism with physics research. Quantum technology, leveraging magnetic phenomena alongside quantum principles like superposition and entanglement, promises revolutionary applications in computing, sensing, secure communication, and materials discovery, pushing magnetism into a leading role in the ongoing "second quantum revolution".
Recent advancements highlight the development and refinement of neodymium magnets enabling more efficient and compact electronics, enhanced use of electromagnets in large-scale scientific instruments for particle physics and materials science, and quantum technologies harnessing magnetic and quantum properties to solve complex problems in computing and sensing.
Looking towards the future, more efficient, high-power magnets for renewable energy and electric vehicles, possibly including alternatives to rare earth elements driven by sustainability and supply concerns, are expected. Quantum-enabled devices for medicine (e.g., advanced imaging), navigation, communications, and secure data transmission are also on the horizon. Reusable, adaptable magnet technologies in scientific facilities to maximize cost-effectiveness and innovation in experimental physics are anticipated.
In summary, magnetism evolved from natural lodestones to neodymium rare earth magnets and superconducting electromagnets, underpinning technologies from everyday electronics to quantum computing and particle accelerators. Its role in technology and daily life is rapidly expanding, with ongoing research aimed at discovering new materials and quantum applications that will shape future innovations.
- The stronger neodymium magnets, first produced independently by General Motors and Sumitomo Special Metals in 1984, have become essential in a variety of industries, including the renewable-energy sector, where they are used in wind turbines.
- Beyond everyday devices, magnetism plays a significant role in the science industry, particularly in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, where powerful superconducting electromagnets steer particle beams at near light speed.
- The finance industry has taken note of the importance of magnets in technologies, as the demand for renewable energy and electric vehicles is expected to increase the need for more efficient, high-power magnets, potentially including alternatives to rare-earth elements.
- In the transportation industry, advancements in magnet technology are anticipated to lead to the development of more sustainable solutions, such as magnets for electric vehicles that are more energy-efficient and use less or no rare earth elements.
