Mind-Blowing Magic Magnets - Smarter Every Day 153

TL;DR

Polymagnets are a new type of magnets that can be designed and printed with specific magnetic fields, allowing for unique and customizable magnetic behaviors.

Transcript

Hey, it's me Destin. Welcome back to SmarterEveryDay. You might not know this but every single hydraulic pump in every car you've probably ever been in has a little bitty magnet in it to catch shavings so that the mechanism doesn't foul up. Now, I know this because when I was growing up both of my parents worked at this plant and made steering pump... Read More

Key Insights

• 😨 Every hydraulic pump in a car has a small magnet to catch shavings and prevent damage.
• 🖐️ Playing with magnets as a kid was a simple experience of aligning north and south poles, but Polymagnets offer a whole new level of magnetic behaviors.
• 👻 Polymagnets can be printed with specific magnetic designs, allowing for customizable and unique behaviors.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Garrett discover the behavior of magnets flipping and aligning together?

Garrett observed this phenomenon himself while playing with magnets. One day, he accidentally flipped one magnet and noticed that the rest would instantly align and flip along with it.

Q: How do Polymagnets differ from conventional magnets?

Conventional magnets have a north face and a south face, with the magnetic field going from one face to the other. Polymagnets, on the other hand, have pole regions on the same surface, allowing for a stronger and more focused magnetic force.

Q: How do Polymagnets achieve different magnetic behaviors?

Polymagnets can be designed and printed with specific magnetic fields, which determine how they interact with target materials. By manipulating the strength and distribution of the magnetic field, engineers can create fascinating behaviors like hovering magnets and spring-like latches.

Q: What are the potential applications of Polymagnets?

The video mentions that the medical field could potentially benefit from the use of Polymagnets. However, as this technology is still new, there are many untapped potential applications that have yet to be explored.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The video explores the concept of magnets and showcases a slow motion experiment with a young boy named Garrett, who demonstrates a fascinating behavior of magnets flipping and aligning together.

• The video then introduces Polymagnets, a company in Alabama that specializes in printing magnets with specific magnetic designs on their surface. This allows for the creation of new and unique magnetic behaviors.

• The video showcases various examples of Polymagnets, including magnets that hover without touching and magnets that act as springs or latches.