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Making Magnetic Monopoles and Other Physics Exotica

Posted by kdawson on from the north-just-north dept.

PhysicsDavid writes "Physicists have been searching for magnetic monopoles pretty much since they knew about magnetism and definitely since Maxwell unified electricity and magnetism. Now some researchers have shown that using some weird mirror materials will allow them to create something indistinguishable from a monopole in a lab experiment. A paper about it was published today in the journal Science as an advance online publication (abstract; full article available only to AAAS members). The technique looks like it could be used to create analog systems of other kinds of exotic particles that haven't yet been observed, such as axions. The theorists who proposed this are working with experimenters to try to create these systems and study them in depth this year."

12 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Multiple monopoles? by ErroneousBee · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought there was only one magnetic monopole, and one photon, in this universe.

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    **TODO** Steal someone elses sig.
    1. Re:Multiple monopoles? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      I can see how you might confuse photons with zune users.

    2. Re:Multiple monopoles? by ErroneousBee · · Score: 3, Funny

      I thought it still sort of worked for photons, cos they are their own anti-particle.

      My party piece is to bore anyone who will listen with an argument that the universe only needs one photon travelling backwards and forwards in time.

      But the WTFs are usually reserved for the followup where I set fire to my head.

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      **TODO** Steal someone elses sig.
  2. This will be great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Whenever I play in the car the pieces end up flying all over, so yeah, magnetic Monopoly would be great!

  3. Re:nobel by corsec67 · · Score: 2, Funny

    then we have to start some very serious research into the implications.

    Traveling north or south becomes much cheaper than heading east or west?

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    If I have nothing to hide, don't search me
  4. instructables by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 4, Funny

    There's an instructable for making magnetic Monopoly right here. As for finding the physics erotica, your on your own--I'm at work right now...

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    This guy's the limit!
  5. Searching for magnetic monopoles? by shawn(at)fsu · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's easy. Take a regular magnet and cut it in half, gees do I have to do all the heavy thinking around here.

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    500 dollar reward for tip(s) leading to the arrest of the person(s) who stole my sig.
  6. Monopole Magnets at last! by rk · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now, do we go for Unified Field Theory and get tachyon bolt weapons, or Nanominiaturization and score the hovertank chassis?

    1. Re:Monopole Magnets at last! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm just waiting for Centauri Genetics, but I'd settle for Controlled Singularity.

  7. Monopole magnets are not hard by philspear · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can't believe people are having a hard time with this. It's easy! Just cut off the pole you don't want!

    Geez!

    1. Re:Monopole magnets are not hard by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Somehow, I think all of the slashdot readers from Poland are a bit uneasy about being cut off...

    2. Re:Monopole magnets are not hard by Mindwarp · · Score: 3, Funny

      Hey - you're not meant to complain about Slashdot Pole options!

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      The gift of death metal does not smile on the good looking.