Collaborate Disseminate
A leading explanation for the different patterns seen in Earth’s northern and southern auroras has been ruled out. Continue reading Scientists Solve the Mystery of Why the Northern and Southern Lights Don’t Match
Our planet’s core probably started solidifying in the late Ediacaran period, which recharged the magnetic field in the nick of time. Continue reading Earth’s Magnetic Field Almost Collapsed 565 Million Years Ago
The federal government was set to update the World Magnetic Model but had to delay it because of the shutdown. Continue reading Scientists Can’t Fix Map of Earth’s Magnetic Field Thanks to the Government Shutdown
An Astrobiology study proposes that an ancient supernova could have exposed Megalodon and other large ocean animals to deadly muon radiation. Continue reading Scientists Think an Exploding Star Helped Kill Off the Megalodon
BepiColombo is scheduled to launch from French Guiana at 9:45 PM ET on October 19. Continue reading Humanity’s Next Mission to Mercury Will Test Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Our planet is sculpted by hidden magnetic flourishes. Continue reading This Kaleidoscopic Visualization Maps Earth’s Mysterious Magnetic Anomalies
How could you build an artificial tadpole? Or simulate the motion of a cilium? Those would be hard to do with mechanical means — even micromechanical because of their fluid motion. Researchers have been studying shape-programmable matter: materials that can change shape based on something like heat or magnetic field. However, most research in this area has relied on human intuition and trial and error to get the programmed shape correct. They also are frequently not very fast to change shape.
[Metin Sitti] and researchers at several institutions have found a way to make rapidly changing silicone rubber parts (PDF …read more
Continue reading Shape Programmable Matter is More Magnetic Magic
Magnetic gears are surprisingly unknown and used only in a few niche applications. Yet, their popularity is on the rise, and they are one of the slickest solutions for transmitting mechanical energy, converting rotational torque and RPM. Sooner or later, you’re bound to stumble upon them somewhere, so let’s check them out to see what they are and what they are good for.
Where conventional gears use mating surfaces of mechanical interlocking teeth, magnetic gears employ alternating magnetic fields to transmit torque. For a long time, magnetic gears have only played a minor role in engineering. …read more
Continue reading Ask Hackaday: What Are Magnetic Gears (Good For)?
Electromagnetism is the most difficult thing teach. Why is electromagnetism hard to teach? Well, when you’re asking a ‘why’ question (obligatory Richard Feynman video)…
[Adam Smallcomb] might not be able to explain electromagnetism with perfect clarity, but he does have an idea to give students a hands-on feel for electrons and magnets. He’s building an Electromagnetic Teaching Aid that turns 30 gauge wire, springs, Lego, and bits of metal into a toolset for understanding magnets, solenoids, current, and magnetic fields.
The devices explained via [Adam]’s toolkit include a DC motor, stepper motor, speaker, solenoid, relay, transformer, microphone, and generator. That’s …read more
Sometimes you have to start out with big goals. Ninth-graders [Finja Schneider] and [Myrijam Stoetzer] are aiming to make a magnetic field scanner that would be helpful in finding large underground metallic objects, like unexploded WWII bombs that pose a real threat whenever a new parking garage is excavated in Germany. But even big goals have to start out somewhere, so they’re gaining experience with the sensors and the math necessary to recreate 3D magnetic flux vector fields on household objects like sawblades and magnetized screwdrivers.
For their science-fair project, [Finja] and [Myrijam] took a mid-80s fischertechnik “toy” 2D scanner …read more
Continue reading Hackaday Prize Entry: Measuring 3D Magnetic Fields [Needs Prize Footer]
