Magnets Featured in James Bond Movies Part 2
By Paul Fears | 20 November 2017
In the second of our two James Bond blogs, we continue the review of how 007 and his enemies utilise magnets and magnetic forces. Our first blog concentrated on the eras of Sean Connery and Roger Moore, and in this blog we look at the movies in which Magnets took a starring role alongside Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan.
The Living Daylights (1987)
It was 14 years and the appearance of a new James Bond in the form of Timothy Dalton before another magnet inspired gadget appeared after Live and Let Die (1973). In The Living Daylights, Bond has a Philips Magnetic Fob Key Ring Finder that emits a stun gas when activated by whistling the first notes of ‘Rule Britannia’. In additional, this innocuous magnetic fob also contains high explosive detonated by a wolf whistle and a series of keys capable of opening 90% of the world’s locks.
GoldenEye (1995)
The most impressive use of magnetic forces featured in the movie that introduced Pierce Brosnan as 007. GoldenEye was a top-secret Russian weapons system that converted two satellites into offensive weapons. With special access codes, the satellites set off an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that would cause any object working with an electrical circuit to fail.
In the real world, minor EMP events cause low levels of electrical noise or interference which can affect the operation of susceptible devices. A very large EMP event, such as a lightning strike, is also capable of damaging objects such as trees, buildings and aircraft directly, either through heating effects or the disruptive effects of the very large magnetic field generated by the current. The damaging effects of high-energy EMP have led to the introduction of EMP weapons, from tactical missiles with a small radius of effect to nuclear bombs tailored for maximum EMP effect over a wide area.
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
Brosnan’s next outing as James Bond came in Tomorrow Never Dies. One of the most dramatic scenes in the movie is the car chase in the multi story car park, with Bond driving a BMW 750iL using an Ericsson Cellular Phone whilst hiding in the back seat. The car was fitting with an array of weapons including Magnetic Flash Grenades.
Magnets in James Bond and the Real World
With the amazing advances in technology, many of the gadgets featured in early James Bond movies have now become reality. Since 1963 permanent magnet technology has evolved considerably, with Rare Earth Neodymium Magnets producing exceptionally strong magnetic forces. In fact, without Magnets the world would be without mobile phones, wind turbines, and electric motors.
We just wonder when James bond will next need the help of a Magnetic Force.
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