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SLAC-led team reports experimental proof of altermagnetism, a third magnetic phase

Hacker News reports that a team led by SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory published Science findings claiming experimental proof of altermagnetism in manganese telluride.

The short version

  • A SLAC-led team reports in Science that it has experimental proof of altermagnetism, a third magnetic phase.[Hacker News]
  • The team's study confirms that manganese telluride (MnTe) is an altermagnet, a class with traits of both ferromagnets and antiferromagnets.[Hacker News]
  • The initial experiment ran in 2024 and was repeated in early 2025; the lead author calls the results robust confirmation.[Hacker News]
  • The confirmation claims are the team's own, and the available reporting does not describe independent replication by other groups.[Hacker News]

Key facts

  • A team led by SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory published findings in Science providing experimental proof of altermagnetism.[Hacker News]
  • The initial experiment confirming altermagnetism was completed in 2024, and the team repeated it in early 2025.[Hacker News]
  • Lead author Daniel Jost stated that the results provide robust experimental confirmation that altermagnetism is real.[Hacker News]
  • Researchers confirmed that manganese telluride (MnTe) is an altermagnet.[Hacker News]

What remains uncertain

  • The proof claims come from the team's own statements and publication; the available reporting includes no independent assessment of them.[Hacker News]
  • The reporting does not describe independent replication by other research groups or any practical applications.[Hacker News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.