Your Brain Contains Magnetic Particles, and Scientists Want to Know Why

[Judi Lynn]

By Yasemin Saplakoglu, Staff Writer | August 8, 2018 11:42am ET

In a remote forest laboratory in Germany, free from the widespread pollution found in cities, scientists are studying slices of human brains.

The lab's isolated location, 50 miles (80 kilometers) from Munich, gives the researchers the opportunity to examine a bizarre quirk of the brain: the presence of magnetic particles deep within the organ's tissues.

Scientists have known since the 1990s that the human brain contains these particles, but researchers didn't know why. Some experts proposed that these particles served some biological purpose, while other researchers suggested that the magnets came from environmental pollution. [Inside the Brain: A Photo Journey Through Time]

Now, the German scientists have evidence for the former explanation. In a new, small study that included data on seven postmortem brains, researchers found that some parts of the brains were more magnetic than others. That is, these areas contained more magnetic particles. What's more, all seven brains in the study had very similar distributions of magnetic particles throughout, suggesting that the particles are not a result of environmental absorption but rather serve some biological function, the team wrote in the study, published July 27th in the journal Scientific Reports.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/63281-magnets-human-brain-mapped.html?utm_source=notification

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. Would that explain why I keep getting stuck to my refrigerator door?

[htuttle]

3. It might just be very humid where you are?

[unblock]

2. Animal magnetism, duh.

Always gotta be a wiseass.

Or in this case, two

[El Supremo]

6. Then why aren't we all sex magnets?

[unblock]

7. You mean some of you aren't?

[htuttle]

4. This is fascinating -- I wonder why these particles don't cause more problems during MRIs?

I suppose they could be too small to get dislodged?

[JDC]

5. Maybe it helps with sense of direction.

Or maybe too much sushi....wait, that's mercury.

I stand by my unscientific theory of direction.

[Xipe Totec]

8. We may one day find out our brains are actually quantum computers. nt

[Tucker08087]

9. My sister swears it's like a compass and is used for directions.

She also swears that I am directionally challenged due to a brain injury.
I do know this: part of my first Lupus symptoms were jolting limbs. They called it restless leg, but it’s quite different. My neurologist believes they might be a weird seizure (I have 4 kinds now- yay lupus!), but if not, based on brain waives, she’s sure it’s neurological. The weird thing is that every time I have an MRI, the jolting stops. If I get a knee MRI, it stops for maybe a month. A brain MRI has stopped it for 6 months to a year. The jolting could make a person absolutely insane. I’m the happiest person to ever show up for an MRI. The doctors have no explanation, but they all agree it has something to do with magnetic force. Maybe this study will help explain what my body is doing!

[Javaman]

13. it may sound odd...

and I'm not poking fun in the least but have you tried to do anything with ordinary magnets to help you?

or do you think it's only related to electromagnets?

[Tucker08087]

14. Magnets do seem to help with joint pain

But I’ve never tried to make a hat out of magnets. Lol! As crazy as it sounds, I’m going to actually give it a try! I can wear it to bed. What’s the worst thing that could happen? And imagine if it works?!?
Thanks!

[Wounded Bear]

10. Some people do have a quirky "bump" of direction...

I know I'm actually fairly good at it, I can usually find north.

Or maybe it's just holdover from when we had ferrite core memory.

[WhiteTara]

11. I always thought it was sort of like magnets in birds;

to follow the lay lines of the earth. I figured I don't have enough magnets because I am always lost and can't discern directions.

[Glamrock]

12. Thanks Obama!