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Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
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Dirk Anger
09/05/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
"Up to this point, magnetic monopoles were entirely theoretical"

Up to this point, magnetic monopoles were not supposed to exist. All electromagnetism can be derived from 4 Maxwell's equations, and one of them is div(B)=0, that means pretty much "there are not magnetic monopoles". I guess they should be able to see tons of unpredicted behaviors in that dyspro-whatever-spaghetti-thingy
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Stephen Goldmeier
09/06/09

@Dirk Anger: Well, Dirac predicted that they might find monopoles in materials like this one, but materials like this one hadn't been inspected like this before. Another commenter mentioned that this is more of a quasi-monopole than an actual monopole, though, which is totally accurate.
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Trystero
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
"I maintain nonetheless that yin-yang dualism can be overcome. With sufficient enlightenment we can give substance to any distinction: mind without body, north without south, pleasure without pain. Remember, enlightenment is a function of willpower, not of physical strength."

--Chairman Sheng-ji Yang,
"Essays on Mind and Matter"
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Jack_Ferguson
09/05/09

@Trystero: I think that comment takes you to the threshold of transcendance.
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Crashproof
09/05/09

@Jack_Ferguson: Please don't go. The drones need you. They look up to you.
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Blue_Thark
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
As someone who had next to no clue as to how this stuff works prior to reading this, I couldn't help asking myself: "Why didn't they just try breaking a regular magnet in half?"

And then myself slapped me.
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foolish-rain
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
But I thought the Vulcan Science Academy had positively concluded that magnetic monopoles couldn't possibly exist...
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goldfarb
09/04/09

@foolish-rain: I think you mean 'Vulcan Science Directorate'...

- note to self: get life.
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Grey_Area
09/04/09

@foolish-rain: piffle. Vulcans, wotta bunch of killjoys.
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WLDaywalker
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
Stop. Your monopole is repulsing me.
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Dirk Anger
09/05/09

@WindowlickinDaywalker: Why do you have to be so negative?
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evan7257
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
Well, we must have developed Silksteel alloys already to get this far. Next stop, Nanominiaturization. Hopefully, we can build hovertanks before that damn Chairman Sheng-Ji Yang.
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J. Heretic
09/04/09

@evan7257: And here I thought I would be the first one with a SMAC joke.
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Trystero
09/04/09

@J. Heretic: Ah, yes, but who here dug their CD out of a pile and re-installed it for the sole reason of finding the accompanying quote for the tech?

Surely I have achieved some kind of victory, but at what cost?
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Roklimber
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
As a (former) theoretical particle physicist, I'm skeptical but hopeful.

An importance consequence of the existence of magnetic monopoles is Dirac's prediction that their existence naturally explains the quantization of electric charge, something that has puzzled theoretical physicists for a long time.
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ThisDudeRufus
09/04/09

@Roklimber: Lame, apparently there is some debate over what they found. Magnetic strings or something, I don't know.

[sciencenow.sciencemag.org]
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Roklimber
09/04/09

@ThisDudeRufus: Yes, that's why I remain skeptical. I've already contacted a few colleagues to find out what the general opinion is.

BTW, thank you for that link. According to it, these aren't *actual* magnetic monopoles, but quasi-particles, ie, an effective result of the interaction of other particles (magnetic dipoles in this case).

So, I remain skeptical.
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Roklimber
09/04/09

@ThisDudeRufus: Yes, that's why I remain skeptical. I've already contacted a few colleagues to find out what the general opinion is.

BTW, thank you for that link. According to it, these aren't *actual* magnetic monopoles, but quasi-particles, ie, an effective result of the interaction of other particles (magnetic dipoles in this case).

So, I remain skeptical.
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twophrasebark
09/04/09

@Roklimber: Hmm. Dicomment.
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phoghat
09/05/09

@Roklimber:
I'm not being snarky, but as a (former) theoretical particle physicist, can you foresee any practical use for this?
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Stephen Goldmeier
09/06/09

@Roklimber: Just wanted to mention, Roklimber, that every time I post a physics story (specifically particle physics) I am always glad to see you encouraging people to think and learn about the stuff in the posts. I always shoot for as accurate an overview as I can give without being too dry or attempting a physics lecture, so I am always glad to see you continuing the discussion.

In short, kudos.
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Roklimber
09/07/09

@phoghat: If someone had asked J. J. Thomson in 1897 what the practical use of his discovery of the electron was, or Dirac in 1928 when he theoretically predicted the existence of anti-particles, they would probably say that they didn't know. Yet, all of chemistry and all electronic equipment work because of electrons, and certain kinds of medical equipment use positrons (the anti-particles associated with electrons).

So, do I foresee a practical use for magnetic monopoles? I don't know, but I won't be surprised if we someday find many applications.
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Edited by Roklimber at 09/07/09 2:11 AM Roklimber was starred Roklimber was unstarred

Roklimber
09/07/09

@Stephen Goldmeier: Thanks, Stephen. I appreciate the compliment.
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Chip Overclock
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
I remember once in a review of the movie PRINCESS MONONOKE in Science Fiction Chronicle their un-checked spell checker changed it to PRINCESS MONOPOLE. At least it was still kinda SFnal.
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botanicidal
09/04/09

@#c15206782: This is Princess Mononoke's non-official seal of approval. :)
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ThisDudeRufus
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
I'm sorry, my imagination broke after Fantastic Planet. What can they do with this, again? Generators or something?
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Grey_Area
09/04/09

@ThisDudeRufus: My actual science is pretty weak compared to my science fiction. Authors use monopoles for propulsion systems (Larry Niven esp.) or for fusion energy. But that might just be like Geordie LaForge throwing tachyons at a positron beam to reverse the polarity of the hyperpickleator.

I'm sure one of our more edjumacated io9ers is about to Reveal All.
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cljohnston108
09/04/09

@Grey_Area: Larry Niven's exactly who I thought of when I read the article.
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jbq
09/05/09

@Grey_Area: It can, like, totally cure global warming, or the economy, or something. Probably something. In other news, magnetic is just magic with extra letters!
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Dirk Anger
09/05/09

@ThisDudeRufus: They'll probably use it to make bigger cars, kill more people, and enlarge your penis
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blatanville
09/05/09

@cljohnston108: My first thought was Andre Norton's "Sargasso of Space" [en.wikipedia.org] which was published in 1955, pre-dating Larry Niven, I believe.
[I confess I may have the title mixed up with another Norton title which I cannot recall now - I read it about 30 years ago...]
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CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard)
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
Altogether now Springfield.......MONOPOLE!!
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redqueenmeg
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
Poll: What's next on the currently-theoretical list that we're going to prove exists?

My vote is unicorns.
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Grey_Area
09/04/09

@redqueenmeg: Unipoles?
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redqueenmeg
09/04/09

@Grey_Area: Policorns?
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Daumier
09/04/09

@redqueenmeg: Monocorns?
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Kakkoii
09/05/09

@Daumier: io1's?
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cadrina
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
and the use of such material?
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foolish-rain
09/04/09

@cadrina: That's always my first question when something is published by theoretical physicists...
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Ghede
09/04/09

@cadrina: That is like asking what the use of radiation is around the curie days. Give them time to fool around with the stuff, they JUST discovered it.
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DireWombat
09/05/09

@cadrina: Would you ask this question if they announced the discovery of gravitons or wormholes? An actual magnetic monopole would be a HUGE discovery for physics and could significantly advance our understanding of the universe.

I think that most people don't get what a big deal a magnetic monopole is because they don't show up in science fiction as often as some other, more popular theoretical whatsits... but seriously, the discovery of a real magnetic monopole should be a "Stop what you're doing right now and call all your friends and the Nobel committee while you're at it because we know who's getting all the prizes" kind of scientific discovery.

That said, what was actually discovered were "monopole-like quasiparticles".... so, interesting, but not as revolutionary as it first looked.
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TristanQuadratus
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
So, what are the applications? What can we use monopoles for? In Larry Niven's Protector monopoles were used in Singleships and made fusion power not only work but work more efficiently.
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Grey_Area
09/04/09

In reply to Physicists Discover A Magnet With Only One Pole
An actual monopole!? This is a major breakthrough.
I will now celebrate with a monopole-dance!
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ThisDudeRufus
09/04/09

@Grey_Area: I'd like to see you try a dipole dance...
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Grey_Area
09/04/09

@ThisDudeRufus: I get too dizzy on those.
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Lassus
09/04/09

@Grey_Area: That sounds like a bell that can't be unrung.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
09/04/09

@Grey_Area: *readies dollar bills*
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Grey_Area
09/04/09

@Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: So, what I ain't worth a sawbuck?!
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
09/04/09

@Grey_Area: Not in this economy.
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AmishJohn
09/05/09

@Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: I want the Lysol and barf bag concessions.
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