China's new resistive magnet is 800,000 times stronger than Earth's field

China's new resistive magnet breaks record with 42.02 tesla, 800,000 times Earth's field.

: Scientists in China have developed an extremely powerful resistive magnet, achieving a world record with a strength of 42.02 tesla. This remarkable magnet is 800,000 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field and was tested at the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility in Hefei. High magnetism allows exploration of new states of matter and enhances instrument sensitivity to detect faint phenomena. The magnet consumed 32.3 megawatts, highlighting the challenge of power requirements, prompting work on hybrid and superconducting designs.

Chinese scientists have constructed a resistive magnet reaching a record-breaking 42.02 tesla, eclipsing Earth’s 50 microtesla field by over 800,000 times. Built at the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility in Hefei, it surpassed the previous record of 41.4 tesla from a magnet at Florida's National High Magnetic Field Lab.

Physicists like Joachim Wosnitza believe that stronger magnetic fields allow the exploration of new physics realms and the manipulation of new phases of matter. Such magnetism enhances instruments' sensitivity, essential for detecting faint phenomena, thus advancing scientific research capabilities.

Despite the magnet's vast energy consumption of 32.3 megawatts, scientists focus on developing more energy-efficient alternatives. Teams are investigating hybrid and superconducting magnets, which could offer high magnetic strength with lower energy, although technical challenges persist.