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The existence of a new kind of magnetism has been confirmed

Altermagnets, theorised to exist but never before seen, have been measured for the first time and they could help us make new types of magnetic computers

Now, Juraj Krempasky at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen, Switzerland, and his colleagues have confirmed the existence of an altermagnet by measuring the electron structure in a crystal, manganese telluride, that was previously thought to be antiferromagnetic. This electron grouping seems to come from the atoms of tellurium, which is non-magnetic, in the crystal structure, which separate the magnetic charges of the manganese into their own planes and allow the unusual rotational symmetry. Article amended on 15 February 2024 We have corrected when Louis Néel discovered antiferromagnetism and the name of the crystal studied to confirm the existence of altermagnetism.

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