Skip to main content

The National MagLab is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Florida.

Watch & Play

Watch & Play
See the science at play in these electrifying demonstrations and animations that illuminate the invisible electromagnetic forces. Or have your own fun with puzzles, games and a collection of interactive tutorials.

Interactive Tutorials
These demonstrations about laws and tools associated with electricity and magnetism allow you to adjust variables at and to visualize invisible forces — which makes them almost better than the real thing.

See-Thru Science
Seeing is believing. In these animations, we show you what electricity and magnetism might look like if they weren't invisible.

Game & Quizzes
Learn about electricity and magnetism — and have some fun while you're at it!

Science Demos
How do Maglev trains work? What are comets made of? How do bugs walk on water? This section demonstrates these and other concepts related to magnetism, electricity and other areas of science.
Read Science Stories

Read Science Stories
Whether you prefer science stories that are short & sweet, long & detailed, or in graphic form, these stories spell out the basics of electricity and magnetism and the exciting discoveries that magnets enable in easy-to-understand language.

Science simplified
Whether you prefer your science short & sweet or long & detailed, we spell it out for you here in easy-to-understand language.
Comic Collection
Read fun science stories told in comic strip style.
The Art of Science
There is beauty and art in science. Gaze on these stories of discoveries that could be featured on museum walls instead of scientific journals.

Left Fields
Explore these surprising, unconventional and sometimes downright strange stories about high magnetic field research.
Science Step-by-Step
These special science graphics explain science stories in digestible steps and include optional detours for readers wanting more background to customize your reading journey.
Explore History

Explore History
Electricity and magnetism discoveries span the centuries. Peruse the people, products and places related to electricity & magnetism from across space and time.

Pioneers
Get to know these pioneers who went down in history for their groundbreaking work, including scientists behind common terms such as Amp, Celsius, Kelvin, hertz and tesla.

Museum
From the world's first compass to the magnetic force microscope and beyond, explore a variety of instruments, tools and machines throughout history.

Timeline
Our timeline takes you through the highlights of electricity and magnetism and across the centuries.

Places
Take a field trip to these high magnetic field landmarks around the globe.
Try This at Home

Try This at Home
Science can happen anywhere! Try these hands-on science activities at home, school, club, or wherever you might find yourself! They’re easy, fun and can be done with stuff you have around the house.

Activity Books Atomic Ornament Build a Bacteria Brain Cerebrum Hat Candy DNA Candy Neuron Crystal Growing DIY Kaleidoscope Drawing Magnetic Field Lines Fill-in Fractal

Groovin Ghost Make a Compass Activity Makeshift Magnets Making Electromagnets Making Ferrofluids Möbius Strip See Iron in Food Shapeshifting Slime Solar System Hats
Plan a Lesson

Plan a Lesson
Looking for a lesson plan for science class or to incorporate science concepts into other subjects? These lessons plans offer detailed directions for K12 teachers to conduct hands-on lessons and align with next generation science standards.

Compasses Demagnetizing Electric Motors Electromagnets Magnet Exploration

Magnetic Putty Magnetizing and Unmagnetizing Making a Circuit Pancake Particles Plotting Electric Field Lines

History of Electricity & Magnetism

Learn about the people, inventions and landmarks that have made electricity & magnetism history over the centuries.

Pioneers

cartoon for background

Esther Conwell

Esther Conwell was a physicist and chemist known for her pioneering semiconductor science. Her research investigating the fundamental properties of semiconductors and conducting polymers paved the way for modern computing and silicone microchips.

cartoon for background

Paul Dirac

Paul Adrien Maurice Dirac was an outstanding twentieth century theoretical physicist whose work was fundamental to the development of quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics.

cartoon for background

Nikola Tesla

Awarded more than 100 patents over the course of his lifetime, Nikola Tesla was a man of considerable genius and vision.

See More Pioneers

Museum

Lodestone

Lodestone – 600 BC

The history of electricity and magnetism starts with this special mineral possessing amazing, and still mysterious, properties.

Morse Telegraph

Morse Telegraph – 1844

The man most commonly associated with the telegraph, Samuel Morse, did not invent the communications tool. But he developed it, commercialized it and invented the famous code for it that bears his name.

Early Chinese Compass

Early Chinese Compass – 400 BC

The first compass was used not to point people in the right direction literally, but figuratively.

Timeline

timeline cartoon

1750-1774

With his famous kite experiment and other forays into science, Benjamin Franklin advances knowledge of electricity, inspiring his English friend Joseph Priestley to do the same.

timeline cartoon

1880-1889

Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison duke it out over the best way to transmit electricity and Heinrich Hertz is the first person (unbeknownst to him) to broadcast and receive radio waves.

timeline cartoon

1900-1909

Albert Einstein publishes his special theory of relativity and his theory on the quantum nature of light, which he identified as both a particle and a wave. With ever new appliances, electricity begins to transform everyday life.

See All Timeline

‹ › ×