# Altermagnetism discovery honored with European physics prize The third fundamental class of magnetism makes waves in the scientific community. - **Source:** [Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories](https://brifing.si/source/8b0f98da-d179-4c93-871f-7ac460bf9c61) - **Published:** 2026-07-25 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/40348518-d83b-44be-879b-b8644616adc6 ## Groundbreaking discovery Altermagnetism has been identified as a third fundamental class of magnetism, alongside the known two (ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism). This discovery opens new research avenues in materials science and electronics. ## Prestigious award The 2026 Europhysics Prize from the European Physical Society's (EPS) Condensed Matter Division was awarded to Prof. Sinova and his team for this significant discovery. The prize is considered one of Europe's most prestigious physics awards. ## Discovery team Prof. Jairo Sinova from Johannes Gutenberg University, Dr. Libor Šmejkal, and Prof. Tomas Jungwirth made history by theoretically proposing and experimentally confirming the concept of altermagnetism. ## Scientific implications The discovery of altermagnetism could lead to significant advances in spintronic devices and quantum computing. It represents a new paradigm in the design of magnetic materials. ## Industrial applications This discovery has potential applications ranging from data storage technologies to energy-efficient electronics. It could play a crucial role in developing low-power consumption devices. ## Scientific milestone The identification of altermagnetism expands our fundamental understanding of physics and ushers in a new era in materials science research. This discovery may form the foundation for future technological innovations. ## Sources covering this story - https://phys.org/news/2026-07-prize-honors-discovery-altermagnetism-fundamental.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._