The now-retracted paper, published in 2022 in Advanced Science, described the unexpected discovery that a fabricated material had desirable magnetic properties, indicating the presence of an alloy called tetrataenite.

The group applied for a patent on the material and a grant from the European Union to fund their efforts to optimize its magnetic properties. "While awaiting a decision on that funding", Greer said, he had members of his lab who were not on the original paper test new, related materials. However, they found "absolutely no evidence" for the component of the material responsible for the magnetic properties. Further studies in Greer’s lab revealed what caused the original incorrect results – a surface oxide induced by a cleaning procedure. "Ironically, trying to use the best ‘cleaning’ of the sample had achieved the opposite!".

Once the lab was unable to replicate the original results with the original material, Greer contacted the journal to begin the retraction process, declined the EU grant funding, and stopped pursuing the patent on the material.

 Source https://retractionwatch.com/2025/10/08/cosmic-magnet-study-retracted-after-cleaning-agent-wipes-away-results/

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