Micromagnets
- Glantop Magnetic Sculpture Desk Toy - $9.99
- 3mm Diameter Chrome Steel Bearing Balls (250) - $9.65
- Big Ball of Whacks - $25.90
- INWISH Super Magnetic Putty - $9.98
- Giovanni Magnetic Energizing Shampoo - $18.52
I highly recommend watching the Micromagnets video on mute to get a real sense of their visual and tactile sublimity. Which is indeed attention-sucking, and probably very gratifying when you're handling the tiny rare earth BBs yourself. But volume on, EDM fairy music blasting and echo-ey CB radio voice yapping in the background, ugh. I get no good Micromagnet feels listening to that cacophony.
Micromagnets are the half-pint version of Zen Magnets, a handful of already small, and "curiously strong" nickel-plated rare earth super-magnets. Zens measure 5mm in diameter, and Micros 2.5mm, which their makers say makes them twice the mental massage to mess around with. "Sharp eyes and clean fingernails are strongly recommended for use."
Micromagnets come in sets of 432 or 1,728 Neoballs, plus either 1 or 2 Magnetic Field Viewers. The rigid Viewers both help separate the powerful little clingers, and serve as magnetic field viewers. Their film will appear lighter when magnetic field lines are parallel to it, and darker when the lines are mostly perpendicular.
Not into tinker toys that can cause fatal intestinal pinching if swallowed? Here are some other ideas to help keep your mind busy and focus your fidgets.
Muchas danke to Bored Panda.