# Scientists create most powerful indoor magnetic field, blow up own lab **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 28, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092 "2018-09-28T05:49:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/1 "2018-09-28T05:49:47Z")
[Link](https://www.cnet.com/news/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab) Who says scientists don’t know how to have fun? > [@](#): > > This wasn’t _entirely_ unexpected, however. The scientists predicted that the instrument would explode, but they just hadn’t predicted exactly how strong their magnetic field would be. I thought this kind of thing only happened in bad sci-fi movies. ---
**Author:** ![BobBitchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ea924/32.png) [@BobBitchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobBitchin)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/2 "2018-09-28T06:02:25Z")
I know I’ve found my kinda scientists when they have as many scars as a mechanic.🆒 ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/3 "2018-09-28T06:38:22Z")
Reminds me of the days we would test great big switches at Allen-Bradley in Milwaukee. We put a block of wood in the path of the switch so it couldn’t close then get it all juiced up and trigger it to see if the NEMA cabinet would hold the resulting kaboom. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/4 "2018-09-28T08:52:01Z")
> [@BobBitchin](#): > > I know I’ve found my kinda scientists when they have as many scars as a mechanic.🆒 You would have loved Father Victory then, although in his case it was from having a complicated glassware apparatus blow up. “…and this, my children, is why you must always wear your safety goggles!” ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/5 "2018-09-28T11:41:59Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > Reminds me of the days we would test great big switches at Allen-Bradley in Milwaukee. We put a block of wood in the path of the switch so it couldn’t close then get it all juiced up and trigger it to see if the NEMA cabinet would hold the resulting kaboom. Now I’m thinking of [the demon core](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_core) which, after it had already killed one person, one scientist propped the shielding up with a screwdriver. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/6 "2018-09-28T14:43:52Z")
[Uh-oh, it’s coming! And it’s pissed!](http://www.classicjq.com/media/IM_AtLightNumber1.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/7 "2018-09-28T15:05:33Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Now I’m thinking of [the demon core](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon_core) which, after it had already killed one person, one scientist propped the shielding up with a screwdriver. Wow! Thanks for that link. Absolutely amazing how reckless they were. :eek::eek::eek: ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/8 "2018-09-28T15:11:26Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > [Link](https://www.cnet.com/news/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab) > > Who says scientists don’t know how to have fun? > > I thought this kind of thing only happened in bad sci-fi movies. > [@BobBitchin](#): > > I know I’ve found my kinda scientists when they have as many scars as a mechanic.🆒 [The Difference](https://xkcd.com/242/) is my favorite XKCD strip, even above Duty Calls. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/9 "2018-09-28T15:32:06Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > [The Difference](https://xkcd.com/242/) is my favorite XKCD strip, even above Duty Calls. The article does say they plan to run it again with a 1500T magnetic field. > [@](#): > > The math says we could create a rift in the fabric of reality, but what the hell, we’ve already got it built. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/10 "2018-09-28T15:45:35Z")
^ And then you get [THIS](https://youtu.be/AhaulXxlqCQ?t=56): ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/11 "2018-09-28T15:47:30Z")
No excuses. They’ve had ample time and opportunities to observe Magneto and see the bad things that can happen when powerful and uncontrolled magnetic force is released! ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/12 "2018-09-28T16:32:32Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > No excuses. They’ve had ample time and opportunities to observe Magneto and see the bad things that can happen when powerful and uncontrolled magnetic force is released! Exactly! 😃 The story in the OP has probably happened 100 times, in the first five minutes of sci-fi and superhero TV series. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/13 "2018-09-28T19:11:33Z")
One of my favorites tales occurred in a research lab, although it was unofficial. I was working in the Rocket Engine Test Facility at Lewis. It is off the main lab and in a deep valley for obvious reasons. We spotted a huge hornet’s nest in a tree. They were fairly common and since we had to go up various scaffolds and ladders to operate valves during setup we liked to get rid of them before one of us got stung. We tried the usual triclorethane spray but it was too high up. We managed to toss an electrical cord over the branch it hung on and hoisted up a few firecrackers someone had. Rigged up a hot wire ignitor and touched it to a battery. Nothing, just some angry hornets. So Fred says, “Hey , I have an idea. Let’s use an oxy-acetelyne balloon.” Of course I knew about this kind of thing but had never actually tried one. Someone came up with a party balloon and we filled it with a stoichiometric mixture. I was walking around holding it for a while because we had some visitors. Then we pulled it up with the wire and set it off. OH. MY. FUCKING. GAWD. The brilliant flash and thunderclap stunned us. It was like the last salute at the end of a fireworks display. You know, the boom -boom -boom -BOOOM! The entire 3 " branch fell to the ground. Burning pieces of nest fluttered to the ground. The few remaining hornets slowly circled leaving trails of smoke. We went in different directions expecting the fire department to show up. But since we blew up there regularly anyway, it caused no immediate concern on the main lab. The funny thing was, afterwards several people asked what happened at 2:00 (or whatever). Not one of them got the time correct. So much for eyewitnesses. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/14 "2018-09-28T20:22:09Z")
To achieve the record, the team used a technique known as electromagnetic flux-compression (EMFC). They attached their instrument, which generates a low-strength, static magnetic field of 3.2 T, to a row of capacitors that generate a huge amount of energy – 3.2 megajoules. So, you’re saying they used a flux capacitor to generate 3.2 megajoules, (pronounced mega ghouls)? How much is that in jiggawatts? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/15 "2018-09-28T20:23:33Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Exactly! 😃 > > The story in the OP has probably happened 100 times, in the first five minutes of sci-fi and superhero TV series. When I first read about it, I was thinking, “Isn’t that how you get superpowers?” ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/16 "2018-10-02T13:20:40Z")
Related: [These guys use very strong magnetic fields](http://www.capturedlightning.com/frames/shrinkergallery.html) to shrink coins. The massive and rapidly-changing electrical current in their work coil induces a current in the coin; the two currents result in opposing magnetic fields, which simultaneously cause the coin to be crushed radially, and the coil also explodes violently outwards. Far less energy than the event in the OP’s article (thousands of joules instead of millions), but the ability to crush a coin is pretty cool. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/17 "2018-10-02T13:37:31Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > To achieve the record, the team used a technique known as electromagnetic flux-compression (EMFC). They attached their instrument, which generates a low-strength, static magnetic field of 3.2 T, to a row of capacitors that generate a huge amount of energy – 3.2 megajoules. > > So, you’re saying they used a flux capacitor to generate 3.2 megajoules, (pronounced mega ghouls)? How much is that in jiggawatts? What the hell is a jiggawatt? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/18 "2018-10-02T14:40:51Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > [Link](https://www.cnet.com/news/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab) > > Who says scientists don’t know how to have fun? > > I thought this kind of thing only happened in bad sci-fi movies. And here’s the Bad Sci-Fi Movie – **The Magnetic Monster** > **[The Magnetic Monster](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magnetic_Monster)** > > The Magnetic Monster is a 1953 independently made American black-and-white science fiction film, produced by Ivan Tors and George Van Marter, directed by Curt Siodmak and (uncredited) Herbert L. Strock. The film stars Richard Carlson, King Donovan, and Jean Byron. Strother Martin appears briefly in one scene as an airliner co-pilot. The film was released by United Artists. > Magnetic Monster is the first feature film in Ivan Tors' "Office of Scientific Investigation" (OSI) trilogy, which was follo... Looks like they actually created _Serranium_. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/19 "2018-10-02T15:13:22Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > What the hell is a jiggawatt? Anything you make it. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092/20 "2018-10-02T15:21:31Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > What the hell is a jiggawatt? Old-fashioned pronunciation of gigawatt. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientists-create-most-powerful-indoor-magnetic-field-blow-up-own-lab/822092.md?page=2)