What's awesome?

Having so little time for this blog makes me a little sad. Henceforth I will sporadically post quick entries under a new tag: "What's awesome?". Whenever I come across awesome things that I deem awesome*, I will share the awesomeness with you!

So, What's awesome? Ferrofluids are!

From wikipedia:
A ferrofluid, (portmanteau of the Latin word ferrum, meaning iron, and the word fluid) is a liquid which becomes strongly polarised in the presence of a magnetic field.

Ferrofluids are colloidal mixtures composed of nanoscale ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic, particles suspended in a carrier fluid, usually an organic solvent or water. The ferromagnetic nano-particles are coated with a surfactant to prevent their agglomeration (due to van der Waals forces and magnetic forces). Although the name may suggest otherwise, ferrofluids do not display ferromagnetism, since they do not retain magnetization in the absence of an externally applied field. In fact, ferrofluids display (bulk-scale) paramagnetism, and are often described as "superparamagnetic" due to their large magnetic susceptibility. Permanently magnetized fluids are difficult to create at present.

Translation, metallic particles in oil that when exposed to magnetism become awesome! Here are a few videos!

Ferrofluid from Shawn Knol on Vimeo.

ARS Electronica , LINZ, ferrofluid from Jason JAy on Vimeo.

Now if that didn't tickle your awesome bone, check out Sachiko Kodama who works with ferrofluid as an art medium! Sculptures that appear to breath and live is the result.


*awesome will be defined by my own set of unwritten, flexible and odd rules.