7 Interesting Facts About Magnets

Published: December 2, 2025  |  Updated: May 22, 2026

Magnets are amazing. As you probably already know, they are one of the main components of the magnetic energy generator. This is a device which anyone can build to help reduce their electricity bills and in some cases, go totally off the grid.

Magnets have lots of other interesting uses though. Let's check out some interesting facts about magnets.

Close-up of a permanent magnet

1. Lodestones: Earth's Natural Magnets

Although it's hard to believe, some magnets can actually be found naturally in the Earth. One of these types of magnets is called Lodestones. They are true natural magnets and are made from magnetite. The magnetic field of the Earth attracts and aligns with lodestones, a phenomenon that has guided explorers and navigators throughout history. As far as interesting facts about magnets go, this is one of my favorites

2. Magnets Are All Around You

Sometimes it's easy to forget that magnets are part of the fabric of our daily lives. You are never far away from a magnet, even in your own home. Magnetic discs in your computer store and retrieve all your digital information. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, magnetic gaskets in your refrigerator safely protect its contents. And finally, in the lounge, magnets, are responsible for the audio and visuals of your television. Magnets are crucial to everyday life and the comforts we frequently take for granted..

3. Making Your Own Magnet - Paperclip Transformation

This is always fun to do! You may have been unaware that paperclips can transformed into magnetic conduits. This transformation, though, is just temporary and merely an illusion created by the magnetic field. As the magnetic pull is removed, the paperclip returns to its initial state, providing an engrossing lesson in the transient nature of magnetism.

4. Using the Earth's Magnetic Poles Navigation

For centuries, explorers have been helped by a guiding rhythm orchestrated by nature's magnetic symphony. Different from its geographic poles, the Earth's magnetic poles act as constant beacons, pointing compass needles inexorably north. The Earth's surface and its core are magnetically connected, creating a cosmic compass that acts as a precise navigational aid for travellers on land and at sea.

5. Earth's Magnetic Core: A Subterranean Secret

The Earth's core, which is made up of solid iron encased in its own kind of molten sea, produces a symphony of magnetic currents that beautifully combine to create Earth's magnetic shield. While less powerful than the magnets we use in everyday life, this ethereal embrace has the potential to shield our planet from the powerful solar storms that rage throughout the cosmos.

6. Power at the Flip of a Switch: Electromagnets

The fascinating result of the coupling of electricity and magnetism is the multifunctional electromagnet. This dynamic transformation of a dormant metal into a magnetic marvel reveals the complex interaction between two fundamental forces and gives us the ability to control magnetism with the flip of a switch. And once you can control magnetism you may even want to learn how to build a magnetic generator to power your home.

7. Roller Coasters: Using Magnets to Defy Gravity

And finally, our last interesting fact about magnets. Roller coasters use magnets as both accelerators and decelerators. This clever and thoughtful application of electromagnetic principles to roller coaster design exemplifies the inventive ways in which science and technology work together to generate moments of excitement and wonder that will never be forgotten.

How Magnets Generate Electricity

One of the most important facts about magnets is that they can generate electricity when moved near a coil of wire. This is the principle behind every magnetic generator. Nikola Tesla was one of the first to figure out how to use this effect for practical power generation.

Today, thousands of people are building perpetual motion generators at home using permanent magnets. The Tesla magnet motor design is the most popular because it uses parts you can find at any hardware store.

Permanent magnets never lose their magnetism completely, which means a magnetic generator can run for decades without replacing its magnets. This is why the Tesla magnetic generator is such a reliable long-term investment for homeowners.

Sources and Further Reading

This site has two longer pieces of evidence for the claims on this page, both built from one 1894 printing and both cited to printed pages of it.

The Paper Tesla Scribbled in Pencil: How AC Won: the rotating magnetic field, which is the trick that lets an alternating current motor turn without any contact to the rotor.

The Flame That Doesn't Burn: Tesla's Cold Fire: what a brush discharge is, and the one place in the 1894 book where a magnet held some way off changes what a glowing bulb does.

5 Comments

Avatar of Ethan Caldwell
Ethan Caldwell
January 15, 2025

This article has the best facts about magnets I have ever read. Fact number 6 says electromagnets are the fascinating result of coupling electricity and magnetism and once you can control magnetism you may want to build a magnetic generator. I followed the plans from the link and built my generator using permanent magnets which are a type of electromagnet. The article says magnets are one of the main components of the magnetic energy generator which anyone can build to reduce electricity bills. My first build produced 120 watts and my second build with better magnets produces about 200 watts.

Avatar of Ryan Cooper
Ryan Cooper
January 20, 2025

The article says paperclips can be transformed into magnetic conduits but that the transformation is temporary. Does that mean the magnetism goes away?

Avatar of Jake Mercer
Jake Mercer
March 28, 2025

Ryan, the article explains that the paperclip transformation is temporary and merely an illusion created by the magnetic field. As the magnetic pull is removed the paperclip returns to its initial state. Permanent magnets on the other hand do not lose their strength. My generator uses neodymium permanent magnets that have not lost any strength in over a year. The article says the Earth's magnetic core produces a symphony of magnetic currents that create Earth's magnetic shield. My generator works on the same principle of electromagnetic induction.

Avatar of Ryan Cooper
Ryan Cooper
August 15, 2025

I kept waiting to see if this was worth it. The lodestone section in the article convinced me and I ordered the plans last week.

Avatar of Mark Thompson
Mark Thompson
December 3, 2025

Here is a tip from someone who has built two generators: the article says magnets are all around you in computers refrigerators and televisions. I have been using neodymium magnets scavenged from old hard drives for my builds. The article mentions that once you control magnetism you can build a magnetic generator to power your home. My generator produces about 200 watts and has been running for months. I bought my permanent magnets in bulk from online suppliers to save money on my second build.

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