Scientists create a 'wormhole' for magnetic fields
Humanity is still a long way from creating space-time wormholes -- if they're even possible -- but that isn't stopping Spanish researchers from achieving something similar for magnetism. They've produced a wormhole-like effect that transports a magnetic field from one point in space to another through an "invisible" path. The trick was to transmit magnetic fields between two spheres linked by a multi-layer, spiraling cylinder whose materials hide the fields while they're in transit. It's as if they vanished, and then popped back into existence somewhere else.
This isn't just for show, either. Provided that scientists can refine their technique, you could see magnetic devices whose magnets don't need to be near the action. You could see MRI scanners that don't require you to lie down in a tube, for instance. That probably won't happen soon, but it's no longer an outlandish possibility.
[Image credit: Science Photo Library - Mark Garlick]
