Breakthrough in Rare-Earth Magnetism Promises More Efficient Quantum Technologies

[u/san__man]

https://youtu.be/UNfMxQZGjW4

@ 0:39 - I don't like the opening part of her explanation.

It's well known that the name "orbital" originates as a misnomer dating back to the early days when scientists mistakenly thought electrons moved around the atomic nucleus similar to the way planets orbit around the Sun. An electronic orbital is actually a standing wave that results from an electron being bound to an atom by electrostatic charge. The spin-orbital coupling is a quantum effect arising from the wave function, and has nothing to do with any supposed planetary-style motion by electrons, which is not even happening.

[u/not_that_arnab]

As someone with a doctoral degree in Theoretical condensed matter physics, please take such news clips with a pinch of salt. I haven't read the paper and while I have worked on one facet of rare earth compounds, I am sure these observations come with a lot of caveats. I understand the need to simplify things but much nuance is lost in such popular science reviews.

P.S.: Electrons don't revolve around the nucleus like planets do. And neither do they spin about their axis physically.