Physicists expect a revolution in data storage on the backs of “skyrmions,” knots that form in magnetic material. Extremely small and difficult to untie, skyrmions could be the key to even smaller electronics. A skyrmion-based hard drive would be more durable, faster, and entirely magnetic. Though skyrmions are still being tested, the ideas the particles have led to may revolutionize electronics anyway. Given the chance, would you invest in a smaller generation of laptops and smartphones?
