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Spinoff story
Ferrofluid Technology Becomes a Magnet for Pioneering Artists
A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.
About this technology
Overview
Magnetized ferrofluid was developed in the 1960s at what is now Glenn Research Center and has since found a number of industrial uses. More recently, artists have begun experimenting with it. When Nikola Ilic developed a liquid in which ferrofluid could be suspended without staining its container, he founded Hamburg, New Jersey-based Concept Zero, which sells a line of glass displays that let the user manipulate the ferrofluid inside. The company also supplies and collaborates with other artists working with ferrofluid.