Andrew P. Mackenzie

In a manganese fluoride crystal, atoms are lined up like soldiers in formation. But within this formation lies a hidden pattern: the magnetic moments of the atoms point in opposite directions, and the pattern itself changes when the crystal is rotated.

A superconductor is a material in which electricity flows without loss, like water through a perfectly smooth pipe. But if you squeeze it slightly, like a spring, its properties change. Scientists have long wanted to measure how much heat such a compressed material absorbs, but instruments couldn't fit into the cramped setup. Now they've devised a way around this obstacle.