NASA has detected a seemingly mysterious source of cosmic energy that it can’t fully explain. It’s reminiscent of the case of altermagnetism, which also seemed “inexplicable” at first. In this case, experts believe it could be a completely new astrophysical phenomenon, an instrumental error, or an artificial source.
Altermagnets: Peter Wadley and Oliver Amin demonstrated that this new kind of magnetism can be controlled in microscopic devices
We say this phenomenon is reminiscent of altermagnetism, since the way to solve that mystery sounds similar. A team including, among others, Peter Wadley and Oliver Amin demonstrated that this new kind of magnetism can be controlled in microscopic devices. “Altermagnets consist of magnetic moments that point antiparallel to their neighbors. However, each part of the crystal housing these tiny moments rotates relative to its neighbors,” said Dr. Peter Wadley, co-author of the study and professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Nottingham.
Magnetism has been the basis of modern technology, from hard drives to quantum research
Altermagnetic materials have the potential to increase the speed of microelectronic and digital memory components by a thousand times, in addition to being more robust and more energy-efficient. For decades, magnetism has been the basis of modern technology, from hard drives to quantum research. Therefore, it is a topic of vital importance for the development of technologies that directly affect human daily life.
A path is opened toward the development of altermagnetic materials for various applications
The fact is that the two conventional categories, ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism, have clear advantages, but also limitations. Therefore, with this new discovery, a path is opened toward the development of altermagnetic materials for various practical applications.
“Our experimental work has provided a bridge between theoretical concepts and practical implementation”
Regarding the source of cosmic energy that concerns us, scientists assert that there may be three possible explanations. “Our experimental work has provided a bridge between theoretical concepts and practical implementation, which we hope will pave the way for the development of altermagnetic materials for practical applications,” asserts Dr. Oliver Amin.
Experts say that ruling out options too quickly could lead to errors or cover-ups
On the one hand, there is the fact that this is a completely new astrophysical phenomenon. We could be witnessing a cosmic manifestation never before seen or recorded. In the magnetic study, the surprise was the combination of properties previously considered incompatible. On the other hand, according to experts, it could simply be an instrumental error, that is, a sensor failure. However, as in the study carried out on MAX IV, where every technical detail was reviewed to confirm the mapping of altermagnetism, engineers are reviewing all systems. In the magnetic study, as we explained before, answers were obtained after observation using a special microscope.
The last theory, and apparently the most speculative, could be an artificial source. It could be something produced by technology other than terrestrial. Experts say that ruling out options too quickly could lead to errors or cover-ups that could be very significant. So even if there is no evidence for this option, it is not ruled out.
As researchers continue to investigate, the future of altermagnetism is promising
For now, the next steps are planned to monitor the wavelengths using multiple telescopes, comparing them with historical records. This discovery could revolutionize the way we approach digital and neuromorphic spintronic devices. As researchers continue to investigate, the future of altermagnetism is promising. The ability to precisely manipulate magnetic states and create scalable, energy-efficient systems has the potential to transform multiple fields, from consumer electronics to advanced computing. Therefore, we recommend staying closely awaiting the results of this research.
