Ace Magnetics Blog

Can Birds See Magnetic Fields?

2009-10-30T22:02:11Z

German and New Zealand researchers have made an intriguing discovery about European robins. The birds, which rely on magnetic orientation to help them navigate during migration, use part of the visual center of their brains for said magnetic orienteering, essentially meaning that the songbirds can 'see' the Earth's magnetic field. The scientists deactivated the area in surgery, and then tested their orientation. After the procedure, the robins relied on the sun and stars to navigate.

The researches say that the findings can be useful in successfully relocating endangered bird populations or in student electromagnetic radiation.

Real Women Golf

2009-10-29T19:29:55Z

Heather's message to the web is that Real Women Golf - that's the name of her blog.

The former figure skater is now a mom and a golfer. If you're a female golf enthusiast, Heather is eminently worth reading - lots of wit, some entertainingly revelatory lifecasting and, of course lots of golf. And every so often, she gives away some great golf gear. There's no reason not to read her blog!

Experiencing Rheumatoid Arthritis

2009-10-28T17:17:18Z

One of the reasons many of our customers use our products is to relieve chronic joint pain, either from arthritis or other conditions. Corry from Experiencing Rheumatoid Arthritis has been living with the arthritis for decades and is blogging to share personal insight, helpful links and - some days - a little silliness to readers. A very unique and inspiring blog.

Blogs We Like: Positive Golf

2009-10-27T20:53:01Z

At AceMagnetics.com, we're happy to have our products endorsed by professional athletes, including golf legend Arnold Palmer and a few other duffers. Golf is still one of the most mentally challenging and peaceful outdoor sports there is. We love the game, and that's why we're always on the lookout for golf blogs. Rick Semple's Positive Golf is one of them.

Not only does he provide good tips on improving your game, he ties them to motivational ideas, inspiration and mental tips to change not only your handicap, but your outlook on life, too. A great post to check out? How about 4 Questions To Improve Your Mental Game?

Magnetic Leaves?

2009-10-26T15:07:55Z

We're always on the lookout for new advances in magnetism, and this is certainly an interesting application of it. Researchers have been tracking pollution using magnetism from an unexpected source - leaves.

It sounds like King Midas has been wandering around the forest, but truth isn't as fantastical as it sounds. Smog, smoke and other polluting emissions produce iron oxide particles, and those particles have a tendency to get stuck to the surface of leaves. So, in truth, it's not the leaves themselves that are magnetized, but the metal particles attached to them.

The study shows that foliage near highways is up to 10x more magnetic than wooded areas away from pollutants. While there's not an immediate or apparent way to use the findings of the study to fix the environment, the potential for further research and data collection is significant.

Magnetic Invention At UK Expo

2009-10-16T17:22:19Z

This year's British Invention Show features a simple, yet ingenious product. No, not the personal submarine or the Claudatron (a musical instrument that is part synthesizer and part violin). Not even the scratch-off postcards. No, our favorite product on display is the magnetic tea towel. They never stay hung up the way they're supposed to, at least not in my kitchen.

The towel contains a small non-rusting magnet that will affix the towel to any metal surface in your kitchen (an unexpected boon of the current stainless steel appliances trend). Will a towel like this keep your kitchen tidier?

Magnet Removes Needle From Human Heart

2009-10-13T21:23:41Z

One of the things we've been blogging about a lot lately is the use of magnetics in groundbreaking medical procedures. And the news keeps giving us things to write about. We don't make any medical claims about the magnetic jewelry we sell, but magnetism certainly has some stunning medical applications.

In New Delhi, a team of doctors managed to remove a 4 inch sewing needle from a patient's heart by using a magnet. When the needle inside Prashant Chalotra's heart was pushed deeper into the muscle by continued by the heart's beating, the doctors used a magnet to partially remove the needle from the tissue to give their instruments a better grip.

New Products In The Ace Magnetics Store

2009-09-28T18:48:54Z

This week, Ace Magnetics introduces some brand new product lines to our store.

Take a look at our new ceramic bracelets. Made from the same advanced ceramics as computer components or cosmetic dentures, our ceramic bracelets are built to last and will never lose their polished look. These bracelets are also scratch resistant.

Shop at Ace Magnetics today to check out our new products.

Magnetic Fields Cause Ganymede's Light Show

2009-09-18T19:59:54Z

Wired reports on an interesting astronomical phenomenon. Images from the Hubble Space Telescope show that striking auroras appear at the magnetic poles of Ganymede, one of Jupiter's 63 moons. Ganymede, which is larger than Pluto and which is only dwarfed by the eight planets and the sun in our solar system, is the only moon of Jupiter with its own strong magnetic field.

The stellar light show, called 'auroral footprints' are caused by interactions with Jupiter's plasma as the moon orbits the planet. Until the newest Hubble images, the size and exact reason behind the footprints was unclear.

“By analyzing the exact locations of these features and how their shape and brightness changes as Io and Gaynmede move in their orbit around Jupiter," says astrophysicist Denis Grodent from the University of Liege, "we have created the most detailed picture to date of how Jupiter and these moons are electromagnetically interconnected.”

Connect With Ace Magnetics Online

2009-09-11T20:48:29Z

Ace Magnetics has been active on Facebook and Twitter since the beginning of the summer, and if you aren't in touch with us there already, we want to invite you to join us formally. The social web is a great new way to stay in contact with our customers, and in turn for you to keep us informed. We're looking forward to hearing from you.

On Twitter, we share fun links about magnetism and the science of magnets (just like we do on our blog) and talk to other users about magnetic therapy. If you are unfamiliar with Twitter, it's a website that allows you to 'microblog' or to send 140-character messages that your friends (called 'followers') can see and respond to.

Our store also has a page on Facebook. If you like shopping with us, go and become a fan of Ace Magnetics. It's another convenient way for you to get in touch with us and we'll give you the inside scoop on special Facebook-only deals and offers.

If you like our products and our committment to quality service, take a few minutes and connect with us online. We really appreciate it!

Magnet Monopoles Discovered?

2009-09-08T21:29:20Z

According to a pair of papers published in Science, researchers may have discovered the existence of a magnetic monopole. According to the papers, spin ice crystals appear to exhibit tiny north magnetic points and separate south points.

The idea of a magnetic monopole has existed only as a hypothesis since Maxwell's work on magnetism in the 1860s, however inconclusive research over the intervening years has led many to posit that they do not actually exist. Since the 1930s, scientists have theorized that the discovery of monopoles could lead to a greater understanding of the quantization of electric charge.

Spin ices themselves are another thing that science couldn't prove until not too long ago (1997, to be exact). The crystals contain 'spins', magnetic moments arranged on a tetrahedral lattice. When spin ices become excited, the north and south moments appear to behave independently of one another as monopoles. With further research, these monopoles could lead to advances in electric circuit design and the creation of magnetic memory.

Copper - An Amazing Story

2009-09-02T04:26:36Z

Copper

Overview:

Copper is a mineral found in trace amounts in all tissues in the body. Although only a small amount is needed, copper is an essential nutrient that plays a role in the production of hemoglobin (the main iron component of red blood cells), myelin (the substance that surrounds nerve fibers), collagen (a key component of bones and connective tissue), and melanin (a dark pigment that colors the hair and skin). Copper also works with vitamin C to help make a component of connective tissue known as elastin.

Copper can act as both an antioxidant and a pro-oxidant. As an antioxidant, it scavenges damaging particles in the body known as free radicals. Free radicals occur naturally in the body and can damage cell walls, interact with genetic material, and possibly contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of health conditions. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause.

When copper acts as a pro-oxidant at times, it promotes free radical damage and may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease and, possibly, cervical dysplasia (precancerous lesions of the cervix which forms the opening to the uterus). Maintaining the proper dietary balance .....Click Here To Read More

New MRI Technology From GE

2009-08-28T21:26:02Z

General Electric announced a new MRI machine this week that can make the the procedure more comfortable and accessible for two segments of patients – the claustrophobic and the obese.

MRI technology, or magnetic resonance imaging, uses a magnetic field to scan a patient and produce internal images of the body. MRIs are normally performed in a narrow tube because the machine's super-conductive magnets need to be as close to the patient as possible in order to preserve image quality. GE's new device, which was designed in the US at the company's Milwaukee, WI and will be manufactured in nearby Waukesha, features a wider table to accomodate patients with a larger build or patients who suffer from claustrophobia without sacrificing image quality. The new devices are in the same price range as normal MRI machine, around $1.5 million.

Read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's coverage of the announcement here.

Strongest Magnet Ever in the Works?

2009-08-21T15:37:05Z

According to a recent report from the Los Angeles Chronicle, engineers at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory are preparing to launch a new generation of high-field magnets that have the potential to significantly reduce a lab's operating costs and open up an entire new experimental industry for physics research. The biggest success so far in the effort is the collaborative project with SuperPower Inc. to produce a superconducting magnet that requires little to no electricity. The magnet has recently broken two world records for the strength of magnetic fields.

"We are now confident that this conductor technology can be used to construct an all-superconducting magnet with fields in excess of 30 tesla," said David Larbalestier, chief materials scientist at the magnet lab. "This is a huge gain over niobium-based superconducting magnets that are only operational to 23.5 tesla." Niobium is the material used to build most superconducting magnets.

Drew W. Hazelton, principal engineer for HTS applications at SuperPower said, "These new world record achievements are an important indicator of the value provided by SuperPower´s superior performance wire in the area of high field magnetics. We can expect important new developments in magnetics research in the future."

Since the project began over two years ago, it has progressed in leaps and bounds. In the future, it looks to continue its research into the science of magnetics that can potentially change the way we look at physics.

Magnetic Microbes Undergoing Biotech Research

2009-08-14T13:59:33Z

According to a recent press release from ScienceDaily.com, magnetotactic bacteria, the smallest organisms to use a biological compass, are currently undergoing extensive research as scientists look to uncover exactly how they create their cellular magnets. In a study published online in Genome Research, researchers have used genome sequencing to unlock new secrets about these magnetic microbes that could accelerate many research studies in both biotechnology and nanotechnology.

So what makes magnetotactic bacteria different from other forms? The answer is in the air. Magnetotactic bacteria, in order to obtain more ample oxygen, evolved using the Earth's magnetic field to orient itself and swim downward – exactly the direction a microbe must move to locate low oxygen areas in lakes and oceans. Using tiny magnetic crystals as a compass, the bacteria was able to find more oxygen and consequently, sustain life. This development, should it be further researched, could shed light on many more aspects of internal compassing, as well as the development of magnetic forces within various life forms.