Neodymium - the secret behind supermagnets

Neodydmium magnets include the strongest permanent magnets known and are found in devices like speakers & headphones, says chemistry professor Allan Blackman from AUT in ep 52 of Elemental.

Neodymium magnets were invented in 1982, and are the strongest permanent magnets known. A neodymium magnet can lift up to 1000 times its own weight. They are actually an alloy of neodymium, iron and boron.

Neodymium magnets turn up in speakers, headphones, hard drives, guitar pick-ups and microphones.

You can also buy them online as super strong fridge magnets.

Electric cars contain about a kilogram of neodymium.

Some neodymium compounds have the unusual property that they appear different colours to the human eye under different types of lights.

And you can thank neodymium for your green laser pointer, says Allan Blackman from AUT.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details