By Peter Weiss
Household fridges and magnets have long had a surface relationship. Now, they may be warming up–actually, cooling off–to a more intimate involvement. Researchers have unveiled a new cooling system that chills by means of magnets, operates at room temperature, and can fit inside home appliances.
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Magnetic refrigerators and air conditioners promise to be more efficient than conventional ones, says Karl A. Gschneidner Jr. of the Department of Energy’s Ames (Iowa) Laboratory. Also, magnetic appliances would circulate water or relatively benign antifreeze fluids instead of ozone-depleting refrigerants, he adds.