https://phys.org/news/2018-10-scientists-technique-magnets-nanoscale.html > The new technique has a surprising connection to the 1856 work of Lord Kelvin (William Thomson), who found that a change in the direction of the magnetic force in nickel influences the flow of electric current in this ferromagnetic metal. Krivorotov and his fellow authors, UCI postdoctoral scholar Eric Montoya and graduate student Christopher Safranski, determined that the inverse is also true: Electric current can apply torque and redirect the metal's magnetism. The efficiency of the torque increases as the size of the magnet is decreased, enhancing the viability of this property for technological applications at the nanoscale. Torque is rooted in both relativity and quantum mechanics, as it arises from the rapid motion of electrons in metals traveling at a fraction of the speed of light. > "I hope that this effect will find use in everyday electronic gadgets, such as mobile phones," Krivorotov said. "This connection between fundamental physics and practical applications is inspiring." Explore further: Breakthrough made in atomically thin magnets