The Most Magnetic Material Yet [Magnets]

Iron cobalt was the most magnetic material on Earth until physicists created what's in this man's hands. It's an iron and nitrogen compound which is 18 percent more magnetic and potentially disproves theories about how magnetic a material can be.

Jianping Wang, a physicist at the University of Minnesota, created the compound, but he's actually not the first to do so:

In 1996, researchers from the Central Research Laboratory of Hitachi in Japan made the same iron and nitrogen compound. Their research also showed that the material exceeded limitations set by traditional theories. However, scientists were unable to duplicate their experiments.

Apparently Wang has 'taken special care to allow other scientists to duplicate his experimental setup' because of these failed attempts of the past. It's a shame that his experiment doesn't count as proof of the original compound's creation for some reason though.

[Gizmodo via MN Daily via Pop Sci]

Honda's carbon nanotubes will change the world

Carbon nanotubes have otherworldly qualities, and now Honda says its figured out a way to make the manufacture of such miraculous materials practical. Get this: Honda says its carbon nanotubes are:

• 100,000 times thinner than human hair
• Stronger than steel
• Conduct electricity better than copper
• Conduct heat better than a diamond
• Light as cotton

Imagine constructing our world from such materials, resulting in lighter and stronger cars, tinier computers, super capacitors, more efficient flexible batteries, more powerful solar panels, practical fuel cells, super-strong composite materials, and maybe even a Spider-Man suit. The breakthrough? Honda says it can manufacture such nanotubes with a 91% success rate, compared to the 25 to 50% success rate currently possible.
[DVICE via Jalopnik]