For instance, while the vast majority of meteorites are stone, almost all sculpturals are made of an iron-nickel alloy, which takes on beautifully complex shapes as it falls to Earth through a process called ablation.

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Both research groups use wire made of a standard alloy of nickel and iron that is easy to magnetise.

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Preventing this process using an iron-free, corrosion-resistant alloy barrier is particularly important in a city like Boston, where the air is damp and laden with salt water.

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Dr Post's system uses magnets made of an alloy of neodymium (a rarish metal), iron and boron.

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