What a visit to a magnet factory in Oxfordshire teaches you about the state of the world, the race for minerals and the obscure processes happening all around us

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A visit to a magnet factory in Oxfordshire reveals the importance of superconducting magnets in powering MRI scanners and the scarcity of helium, which is used to keep the magnets at the appropriate temperature. The factory is working on creating MRI scanners that consume less helium, making them more widely available and potentially saving more lives. The focus on efficiency and lower helium consumption is a shift in the definition of progress and productivity.

The Unbearable Lightness of Productivity