What makes a magnet? A balletic, visual exploration of electromagnetic force

Magnets are everywhere and their basic attracting and repelling properties are pretty familiar. They secure postcards and photos to our refrigerators. They’re in the compasses we used before we had GPS. A bit more removed from the quotidian, they underly the workings of high-speed Maglev trains and will likely play a part in the much-vaunted but not yet realised Hyperloop. But what exactly makes something magnetic? This video collaboration between the University of Paris-Sud’s Laboratory of Solid State Physics and École Estienne is a quick, quirky look at the hidden and fascinating physics of magnetism.