Scientists just proved light's magnetic side can move stuff

Technology Nov 19, 2025

For the first time, scientists have shown that the magnetic part of light can directly influence matter—not just the electric part like everyone thought.
This breakthrough updates a 180-year-old idea from Michael Faraday.

How did they figure this out?

The team at Hebrew University, led by Amir Capua and Benjamin Assouline, used math models and Terbium Gallium Garnet to see how light's magnetic field twists materials.
They found it has a real impact—about 17% of the effect with visible light and up to 70% in infrared.

Why does this matter?

This could shake up tech like spintronics, optical data storage, and even quantum computing.
Basically, it gives us a new way to think about—and maybe control—how light interacts with stuff on a tiny scale.