Magnetic Monopoles… Holy *&%$!!!

It’s something most of us1 have been taught from the very beginning and take for granite from day to day…  no magnetic monopoles!  Gauss’s law for magnetism \nabla \cdot \mathbf{B} = 0 seems iconic and elegant, like one who would hold out, even until the very end in denying to give us a monopole while  \nabla \cdot \mathbf{B} \propto \rho_B seems suspicious and awkward.  In reality though I find this all thoroughly exciting2 and am contemplating throwing a party in honor of the discovery.  I must say that this is a testament to science’s pursuit to ever expand and correct itself through the scientific method.  Take a look at the nature news article for more information and links to the papers.

  1. or maybe just physicists []
  2. even surprisingly exciting []

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