Science Magnet

Astronomers report detecting radio waves that may originate from an exoplanet, potentially the first such detection ever made. If confirmed, the signal would suggest the distant planet has a magnetic field, a property never directly observed on a world outside our solar system. The finding is drawing attention from space and astronomy enthusiasts following coverage by major science outlets, with researchers emphasising that further observations are needed to verify the origin of the emission.

A researcher at the University of Central Florida reports experimental evidence of a new type of magnetism, according to a news release. The discovery could expand scientific understanding of magnetic materials beyond known categories such as ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism. Details of the underlying mechanism and potential technological applications have not been widely reported yet.

Brazil's CNPEM research centre and CERN are working together on magnet technology for a proposed 91-kilometre particle collider. The collaboration ties Brazilian scientific institutions into CERN's long-term plans for next-generation accelerator hardware, an area where magnet performance is a core technical challenge. The partnership highlights growing international participation in future collider projects.

The SMILE satellite has ended an 18-year gap in observations of the northern lights, and researchers say new views of Earth's x-ray magnetic shield are just weeks away. The mission is expected to provide fresh insight into how the solar wind interacts with Earth's magnetic field, producing auroras. Space science outlets are highlighting the milestone and the images anticipated in the coming weeks.

Astronomers report that enigmatic flashes of X-rays in the sky may come from the catastrophic merger of two stars, producing an ultra-dense, ultra-magnetic remnant known as a magnetar. The findings emerged from a collaboration between Chinese and European science missions, and are drawing attention among space researchers and enthusiasts discussing what the discovery reveals about how magnetars form.

Astrophysicist Franco Vazza has closed his electromagnetism trivia question, revealing that the correct answer won by only a tiny margin. The puzzle asked why a Mickey Mouse figure floats, and the explanation is magnetic levitation in a variable magnetic field, with Vazza sharing the physics behind the effect with his followers.

Astronomers have detected an extraordinarily powerful X-ray flash that could mark the moment a magnetar — a neutron star with an extreme magnetic field — was born. Researchers say the event, described as record-breaking in energy and brightness, offers a rare possible glimpse into how these exotic objects form. Findings were reported via ScienceDaily, with details of the observation still drawing attention across science media.