What Do Magnetic Fields Actually Do? | SciShow Compilation

So what exactly do magnetic fields actually do? What would happen if they went away? Turns out, it could be catastrophic! SciShow will explain it all in this fun new episode hosted by Michael Aranda!
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Original Episodes:
• Why Does the Earth's M...
• Foxes Might Use Magnet...
• The Two-Faced Role of ...
• Earth Has Another Magn...
• The Strongest Magnetic...

[@synapse349]

Someone please make a timelapse morph of Michael's hair over the years

[@teddy_miljard]

😂

[@Chad_Thundercock]

He's also been getting swole lately. That needs to be in the timelapse as well.

[@eddiesroom1868]

So rude 5:40 progress to the solid medium life He looked *weak* the first year

[@TheAceOverKings]

​@@Chad_ThundercockFacts. He was gettin somewhat chubby a bit ago, now we see he was just bulking for this cut 😅

[@Vee_of_the_Weald]

He’s one sexy beast, if you ask me. :)

[@EmilyJelassi]

This could've been very confusing, so thanks for explaining this in a way that even I can understand! I'm absolutely horrendous & have a learning disability in maths,so I always appreciate the way the hosts explain confusing and/or complicated news. 😊👍

[@BooBaddyBig]

So to sum up, 'Fortunately the Earth's magnetic field is not strong enough to pull our atoms apart.'

[@Pandaemoni]

I would have assumed that the Earth's molten core is turbulent and so changes in the magnetic field might just be chaotic (in the mathematical sense) and not require an external "cause" each time. Like hoiw with a double pendulum (also a potentially chaotic system) sometimes the pendulum will flip over the top of its pivot point, 360-degrees. You can't easily predict how long that will take in advance, and most of the time it won't, but if the pendulum has enough kinetic energy it is inevitable.

[@teddy_miljard]

We can send Chuck Norris to check the core of the Earth if needed! 🤭

[@claudiaarjangi4914]

I thought it makes sense too, a moving molten core is moving, not static, ergo a moving magnetic field..

[@breathwave]

I agree with this, it's not a homogenous mass or system, but the earths connection to the sun and the sun to the galaxy is the bigger picture that needs to be taken into account, earth isn't unique in having a magnetic field, it's part of a system.

[@claudiaarjangi4914]

@@breathwave Absolutely agree.. I think alot of study in different fields of science have forgotten Exactly what you just said.. They end up with erroneous conclusions, or even being confused.. Just from being so focused on their exact field, not taking real life, the real world into account..

[@mackenzieonyx7586]

😁 *Neil Turok has entered the chat😊*

[@chuckesthedoughboy703]

Running a CAT mag crane everyday made coming across this video even more exciting. It’s so cool to learn new things about something you use all the time

[@vanaals]

Regarding a fox's attack. Since it always appears to align itself to a specific magnetic direction, could it also possibly be setting itself up in a blind spot of its prey?

[@squiddiot5477]

Interesting theory, but why would it need to line itself up with a blind spot if the prey is underground and the fox is above ground?

[@vanaals]

@@squiddiot5477 It's a question I believe the researchers are exploring. Why foxes predominantly orientate themselves in a northwesterly direction before pouncing. Similarly, attacking from directly above may be another blind spot for most prey. They would be expecting an attack at ground level or at a side angle (from a bird of prey) and not expect to be attacked from directly over head.

[@Frostfly]

@@vanaals Attacking from above doesn't nothing to explain why the tendency to the NW direction. and if they were lining up to a blindspot to it's pray, there is no reason for this tendency, it would be more random.

[@vanaals]

​@@Frostfly I'm not saying that the pounce, from above, in any way explains their approach alignment. I'm suggesting that it may be an adjunct to it. And the study found that the alignment is not a constant but a more consistent method with some examples of deviation. One detail the SciShow doesn't report on are the environmental conditions during the attack. How much does the weather, the season, or time of day affect the decision on which direction to approach the prey? The study reports that birds and foxes have cryptochromes that can detect magnetic fields. Since birds use magnetism to navigate on their migrations, do foxes use magnetism as well? And how do they use it if they do? And, in their research, they found that there appears to be a consistancy in their approach when targeting their prey. I would believe the researchers noted conditions at the time of attack as they also recorded the success rate of the attacks, as the success rate was higher when the fox was in a NE/SW alignment to their prey. (I reexamined the video and realized I had remembered the orientation incorrectly.) But, there are further questions to consider since all foxes do not pounce on their prey in the same way. Leaping high and coming down from above. This study was on foxes in Europe. How do the findings relate to foxes in other parts of the world? I guess that would be the next step in the question of whether foxes use magnetism when hunting.

[@peanutbutterjellyfish2665]

Maybe they also hear the direction the prey is facing? My lab onyx used to hunt voles the same way. Pouncing strait up and down. She was fairly successful, for being a domesticated retriever. I don’t know about dogs using the magnetic field, but I’ve witnessed German pointers do the same thing.

[@GMilford09]

Eyes Open, No Fear

[@GMilford09]

My links to the NOAA world magnetic model got deleted. Weird

[@jasonwebb1882]

Along time ago I was told that the photo of Earth was upside down. Meaning that Australia is closest to the top of the world than Canada. But that's what really gets me though. Depending on which way you are turned in space, is what makes the difference. Maybe the Milkyway is upside down compared to most of the galaxies out there. Lol

[@MayukhBose]

Thankfully physics handles up and down pretty gracefully with the right hand screw rule!!

[@EyesOfByes]

Jason Webb, isn't Bourne yesterday. (If your real name is Jason Webb, I apologise for probably being the 1000th person doing the Bourne joke)

[@alwaysdisputin9930]

Fan fuct: if you accelearate towards the setting sun then in your frame of reference, you are stationary & sun moves towards you. Therefore you can move stars & Australians are upside down. They're kind of like bats actually.

[@BooBaddyBig]

You were told that by an Australian weren't you.

[@alwaysdisputin9930]

@pyropulse Where does this force come from? Does it move faster than light? How can 1 little bit of petrol move galaxies?

[@rpbajb]

A new theory hypothesizes that the moon causes tides in the earths mantel generating the circulation necessary for field creation.

[@ptrkmr]

Yes! I just wrote a paper on this for my space weather course last semester. Pretty cool stuff. Hopefully we learn more once Artemis is in phase III or so!

[@twocvbloke]

You could say, Earth has a 'magnetic personality'... :P

[@teddy_miljard]

Has Earth also the dark side? 🤔

[@benjaminrees6665]

Katelynn sp? Clip was awesome. Learned a lot about planetary magnetic fields thank you

[@wolfiemuse]

10:05 I think the way these animals experience magnetoreception is probably more subtle and just sort of baked-in feeling; like all of our senses. It’s probably just a subtle, biological “feeling” when they’re pointed in the right direction.

[@joshuachristofferson9227]

10:24 more importantly, how has Organic Life that depends upon the Magnetic Field adapted when it has flipped in our Past?

[@mnichols1979]

My dog does the same thing the foxes do with the pouncing. He's real good at getting the moles and voles in my yard

[@lotfibouhedjeur]

Mike looks like he just woke up 🤣

[@EyesOfByes]

5:24 *There are two kinds of people; Those who can extrapolate from sufficient data*

[@alwaysdisputin9930]

What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind? What's the other kind?

[@desertdragon2397]

A little brain food. Good stuff. Bravo!

[@loturzelrestaurant]

I ask around, just Because. I ask around if someone wants some scientific Watch-Suggests or such.

[@teddy_miljard]

👍🙂

[@loturzelrestaurant]

@@teddy_miljard ?

[@loturzelrestaurant]

@@teddy_miljard Miljard?

[@charlesdaniels-kg7bj]

Yes it keeps life flowing

[@crazychild94]

She was soo informative Holy mother of gawd

[@Sidsidsids]

Really enjoyed this episode.

[@Adi-8529]

Soooo we can’t live on Mars because it’s core isn’t moving? Can you pls pls pls do an episode on that?

[@davytyler]

"We like an unproblematic magnetic field." That's a good quote right there.

[@teddy_miljard]

😂

[@nenume00]

Michael graciously owns all the hairtyles of rock subgenres. Mohawk next?🤣 Also, wouldn't artificial huge magnets work as a replacer for, at least the fauna?

[@loturzelrestaurant]

I ask around, just Because. I ask around if someone wants some scientific Watch-Suggests or such.

[@ptrkmr]

I’m just happy the earths B field doesn’t flip as often as the suns. That would not be too fun for birds

[@jokerace8227]

That's actually quite interesting, Kaitlyn. Could those bubbles of atmosphere be harvested for fuel in a large orbit of Jupiter with the right characteristics to intercept them? Elon isn't wrong about identifying easy to aquire sources of fuel in order to explore the outer planets and moons. A fuel stop on the way in or out of the Jovian System would be a helpful thing. 🐸☕☕🐸

[@petevenuti7355]

The density would be too low to be practical (with this millenniums technology) But the magnetic field is so powerful and a satellite probe so fast that swinging around a wire tether would generate huge voltages! No magnatar but possibly practical.

[@notfiction9241]

I love magnates, they’re so cool… that is all.

[@teddy_miljard]

I like ice cream. 🤭❣️

[@notfiction9241]

@@teddy_miljard but what about ice cream with magnates in it?

[@Psilomuscimol]

What are magnates?😮

[@coronadioro7153]

You mean to tell me it wasn't badger moles that taught toph to "see". It was foxes the entire time??

[@rumpolstilscin]

Our loss of instinct/gain of "intelligence" has cost us.

[@RafaelReyesofficial]

I'm so proud of him growing his hair out

[@loturzelrestaurant]

I ask around, just Because. I ask around if someone wants some scientific Watch-Suggests or such.

[@theinsane4469]

If we're discussing Geomagnetism, why wasn't the increase of the geomagnetic polar drift addressed at all? Y'all even posted a video about it, May 7th 2021, extrapolating it to climate change, even when most of your sources even said more research is needed for a cause to be more accurately attributed. I would love for y'all to do more research into it and discuss your findings, its a research project in which I've found myself begging for more data and papers!

[@breathwave]

they also left out how the field is rapidly weakening and the poles drift and have been racing towards one another recently (last 50 yrs), as well as the increased solar forcing on our climate as a result of the weakening field, but hey lets not scare the kids with reality.

[@craigb8228]

Is it the electrician in me that thinks land determines polarity?

[@atee369]

Flagging this video as needing (not just auto-generated) subtitles. Please help us hard of hearing and deaf folks access your content!! 🥰🤟🏻

[@justingapp]

300 layers of graphene with a 1.2° twist (clockwise) per layer. Then apply electricity.

[@lazysingledaisybronwyn8105]

Yes. O + 1 = 1.2 The 1 is only what 0 is. -1.2 is more truth, but not here.

[@justingapp]

@@lazysingledaisybronwyn8105 ? Cool. 300 layers with a 1.2° twist would put the structure at a full 360° ... I have no idea what would happen but I read that a small degree of Ferro magnetism was created with 2 layers at a 1.2° twist.

[@CharlesDaniels-nm5el]

Yes that's what keeps the planets alive

[@almightygun]

"Magnets, how do they work?”

[@sylvertonguephoenix]

Ah... Good to learn that our atmosphere is slowly bleeding away...

[@TheRandoDude]

There should be a study done to see if we can as humans learn to sense magnetic fields. If we can, then we could isolate the part of the brain responsible and see what makes the physical or chemical makeup of those neurons different. Possibly even discover the interaction mechanism for gravity itself.

[@LadySharon3710]

As this was a year ago I am not expecting an answer ( does sci show ever answer questions anyway ? 😅). But I wondered can we trace and map the flow of the magnetic field in ( and around ?) earth ? Is it stronger at some points then others ?

[@cvspvr]

yeah, the magnetic field is stronger in some places than others

[@Psilomuscimol]

Than

[@VGAstudent]

Just a theory, but I would suspect that with cryptochromes in a visual receptor paired with blue light receptors, it creates a high energy background in your visual field that can change with the field flipping in highly polarized light, like in snow, causing a shadow to be seen in the electromagnetic field lines caused by interference with overlapping blue photons that are triggered by both blue light AND magnetic fields that flip in the eyes: allowing foxes to see electromagnetic shadows in the earth's field lines caused by water and electromagnetic processes in the animal. You wouldn't need to have much of a distortion to see it in a bright uniform background like a blanket snow-white snowbank of fresh snow, with a lot of high energy diffused blue light from overcast conditions.

[@totallyahuman.2955]

I can't imagine that cryptosomes act like magnetic guided mirrors, just ever so shifting blue light just enough to go *Ding!* , "Dinner locked on!"

[@greatestever2451]

Suspicious observers

[@SplendoursVale]

Glad someone mentioned Ben!

[@sarahskileth6925]

You mean that doomsday cult?

[@greatestever2451]

Blah blah proofs in the pudding lol all I got to say.

[@sarahskileth6925]

@@SplendoursVale Ben Davidson is an electrical engineer. And also, oddly enough sells books on the stuff he preaches for thousands of dollars, isn't that a bit suspicious? Almost like he's just advertising his own stuff!

[@SplendoursVale]

Hello there, @@sarahskileth6925 Its simply another angle, I never believe in any individuals. I just appreciate hearing from all sides before I make my own decisions. I am able to view many prospective and most of the time I don't personally agree with any of them. I try not to divide myself into groups, I just enjoy looking into what others are thinking. Have a good day Sarah🙂

[@StephenSternGoth]

Sounds like an episode of the universe

[@airishkhan10]

celestial tiamut causes these reversals

[@josephzdep3119]

a built of ice on the poles will block the particles that keep the earth dynamo spinning . just like when they hit methane hydrate because they detect it with magnetic detectors . less ice in arctic more in the antarctic is moving the poles

[@mikewatn2572]

When a big enough asteroid filled with metal hits the magnetosphere it gets confused

[@streetcodes]

The first guy sounds like Penn from Penn and Teller.

[@Rajkumz]

The episode got more and more tricky..... When it was on other planets

[@AresWing314]

Solar Flares wobbling magnetic fields.

[@Amocles]

When the magnetic poles shift, does Santa move?

[@djgrooverider]

Reading the comments,I'm glad some people learnt something.But I am also a bit concerned for the people that were either a.unaware of the molten core being the source of our magnetosphere. Or b.After watching the video,are still either perplexed,or just don't have an understanding of basic physics & astronomy.I'm not talking complicated ,just simple facts your taught at lower school.🙈🙉🙊👍

[@collapsingwavefunction_.3356]

"but it still wouldn't be apocalyptic" ...did we just listen to the same description?? Lol O_O

[@DennisKovacich]

I read an answer a couple hours ago on Quora about magnetars, and then you post this?

[@andyt3938]

8:42 what does this mean? Fox see the matrix of it all.

[@lithiumvalleyrocksprospect9792]

Never hear how varriable electric conductivity of lithosphere create magnetic flux syncronous with sunlights movement across rotation of surface

[@malachimeri2020]

Okay, hear me out . Is there a way we could like send up a bunch of electro magnets and. Make there own feild to protect them?

[@ECL..]

Imagine being able to visually see magnetic field lines

[@andrewpettenger1244]

It wouldn't actually look like that. It's just a model.

[@ECL..]

@@andrewpettenger1244 You a bird?

[@Psilomuscimol]

Trip on something and maybe you could hallucinate something like magnetic fields.

[@davemi00]

Awe, but the Core is not a concentric sphere It’s more a mis-shaped glob.

[@XmarkedSpot]

Oblate spheroid gravity matryoshka

[@sueanndisanto]

Caitlin..too...LOUD!

[@jones82176]

Aurora Borealis?! At this time of day?!

[@lazysingledaisybronwyn8105]

Sci SHOW, the red fox is sleeping these days.

[@craigb8228]

What happens to the atmosphere if you daily punch a hole in it?We'll see

[@ChloyeFeraythArel]

Who was in charge of naming the episode and missed the chance to name it "Magnificent Magnetic Fields, And Where to Find Them"?

[@twobirdsonedrone]

The water was moved to Earth from Mars. Earth has a habit of great floods.

[@wkj-dk8wv]

What direction does the flip occur? Does it flip towards the sun so that a pole would be oriented towards the sun at some time or does it flip perpendicular to the sun? If it's perpendicular, then wouldn't the remaining magnetic field still provide some type of protection? What kind of protection woulda pole facing the sun create? Would it be stronger maybe?

[@ChrisMasonRock]

I have thought this too

[@noble1266]

When it's sunset or sunrise the sky it'self is darkest toward and away from the sun. With the brightest points being mostly north and south.

[@Psilomuscimol]

I thought the reason it's bad is because it weakens till neutral then builds up in the opposite direction.

[@CharlesDaniels-nm5el]

Fit for life

[@christianheichel]

I wonder if you could get a monopole neutron star

[@BentusiProgenitors]

Great....now I don't know anything about magnetic fields.

[@fraliexb]

Can't we just setup a solar powered dipole dynamo at L2 to help deflect the solar particles?

[@gnomad3143]

there are experiments of things like this already i think tom scott did a video on one not too long ago

[@XLR8BUNNY]

Is it not L1?

[@user-pr6ed3ri2k]

i cant believe north isnt north

[@brianstone7198]

Mars got hit by something that killed its magnetic field

[@billc.4584]

Okay, great clip, couple of questions. #!. What property or characteristic causes the North Pole to be premminate? Why not the South Pole instead? #2. What effect might a reversal of the Earth's magnetic field cause besides screwing up foxes' diner plans or a bunch of lost geese? Anything dire? Peace.

[@breathwave]

All of this and astronomy wants us to believe it's gravity that is binding our solar system and galaxy? This video makes a strong case for the Electric Universe Model. Also, this process just stopped 700k yrs ago? How? Lack of evidence found doesn't mean it hasn't continued, like every 12-13k years? And what about our magnetic connection to the sun?

[@teddy_miljard]

The Sun affects me like a magnet. 🤭

[@lazysingledaisybronwyn8105]

... to the Uranus.

[@Psilomuscimol]

I think it's both. Gravity and electric fields.

[@georgeb.wolffsohn30]

So Jupiter used to be a BIGGER planet ?

[@demonflowerchild]

💙💙💙

[@willorr1494]

Is it true that the solar wind has slowed very low hence the wandering magnetic poles ????

[@CharlesDaniels-nm5el]

There are other planets just like Jupiter that is just as big and it's magnetic field work's and it's within the goldilocks zone

[@jonnyboy8143]

That's a good name for next gen American rocket. Ay please study hard make it happen and we will buy.

[@iambiggus]

Mike looks like he just woke up from one of those late afternoon naps that takes an hour and two cups of coffee to climb out of.

[@bradj977]

He really doesn't look well to have visibility changed so rapidly. I hope he is in good health and this was just a bad shoot

[@alechall7082]

@@bradj977 uhh what? he looks fine lol

[@bradj977]

@@alechall7082 his eyes and pallow skin, it's not his usual healthy, bright looking self, at least what I'm seeing anyway

[@oO0catty0Oo]

I've also been concerned for a few episodes. I hope it's nothing and he's doing well.

[@spaceminers]

can we travel inside a plasmoid?

[@peanutbutterjellyfish2665]

I watched my lab onyx jump that way to catch voles.

[@bhaskars8552]

Kevin from Ben 10 alien force

[@Sparkyminor]

engagement engagement engagement

[@noble1266]

when i wear my polorized lenses the sky is darker when i look north or south depending on the time of day

[@teddy_miljard]

Very interesting 👍

[@Psilomuscimol]

Probably because of the direction of light.

[@johnschmidt4616]

Maybe the fox is just keeping the sun out of it's eyes especially far north with the sun low on the horizon

[@CharlesDaniels-nm5el]

We share the same sun 🌞 but it's magnetic field stopped

[@charlesdaniels-kg7bj]

When magnetic field die the planet dies

[@chris432t6]

Are we not in a current reversal?? Sure looks that way?

[@alexanderkaese9317]

0:39 ? could the flip be relateted to the Dzhanibekov effeckt ? If earth swallowed the core of an other planet, the core is asymetric. I simply don't know the math.

[@Kerry-uo6og]

All i know about magnets is that they melt in water.🤭

[@Qui-9]

I'm wrestling with one thing here... Everywhere I've seen the supposed generation of a magnetic field on a planet etc explains that it's similar to a dynamo/generator, where rotating or turbulent flow of electrically conductive material is what generates it. There's a conundrum... The rotation/cycling of material needs to occur in an already existing field, at least of its electromagnetic counterpart. Moving metal in a magnetic field produces electric current. Electric current applied to a conductor produces a magnetic field. Swirling iron or other electrically conductive material doesn't produce anything, and from what I understand, metals become non-magnetic above a certain temperature, so you can't start with a swirling magnet (I think...) To me it's the chicken/egg problem. Something seems to be sustaining a magnetic field without it being lost forever. Also, I heard the magnetic poles drift, maybe they aren't completely gone in a reversal and instead literally flip around periodically?

[@RogueJyn]

While it is true that metals lose magnetic alignment with heat. I can only assume the pressure inside the earth might be enough to sustain it? There was another comment on this video suggesting that the sun's magnetic field provides some assistance to our own as well. But I digress. It's very interesting wondering why we have one.

[@Psilomuscimol]

Um. The egg was the first of its kind because every generation undergoes tiny amounts of evolution. So basically the chicken laid the egg and the egg was a totally different creature. So the egg was the first of its kind.

[@davidduncan2000]

or a large CME could start it

[@xxledbettaxx]

Check out Suspicious observers channel if you want to know why they believe a magnetic excursion is imminent, and it's not happening the way we would imagine.

[@comment.highlighted]

Yeah, but what about East and West? Why are they being ignored? Huh? 🤨

[@leftfield4outer]

Um. Bermuda Triangle?

[@ChrispyNut]

PMSL. "We thought it was really weak, but actually IT'S THE STRONGEST IN THE UNIVERSE." Probably gonna find stronger still, if it was the technique that was at fault, but hey, gotta love science for happily holding up hands with a "couldn't have gotten that one more wrong, yay". :-D

[@alwaysdisputin9930]

is it stronger than CERN?

[@themiddleman3060]

Gotta love it? Gotta fear it.

[@Hannniiiiiii]

Interesting….🤔

[@jexxj851]

How do we tell the North and South pole apart??

[@loturzelrestaurant]

I ask around, just Because. I ask around if someone wants some scientific Watch-Suggests or such.

[@canfarts784]

Because the moon of Mars is to small we have a big moon It keeps the core turning .... So strong magnet field ..... There is your awncer

[@andresnunez8156]

Ok. But what does the fox say?

[@Psilomuscimol]

Oooo wa ah ah ah come on get down with the sickness.

[@dlf1976]

So crazy I never knew the molten hot metals underground created it

[@lazysingledaisybronwyn8105]

And those metals come from bacteria, especially Salmonella.

[@craigb8228]

Interesting that they rely on the magnetic field changing rather than the location of the ground.

[@xelthiavice4276]

ITS ALL THE CO2 REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!