Floating Magnets and Superconductors

Why is this magnet floating? Museum Educator Emily explains what makes our magnet float, even though it’s not near another magnet. The answer has to do with superconductors, such as yttrium. When a disk of yttrium is cooled to -321 degrees Fahrenheit with the help of liquid nitrogen, it will create an opposing magnetic force that will repel the magnet, causing it to float. This process is called the Meissner Effect!