Deceptive appearance: While bismuth appears to be topological at the surface, this masks the fact that the bulk material is not topological. (Courtesy: Yuki Fuseya) Bismuth has puzzled scientists for ...

Here’s how it works. Bismuth is an iridescent metal that can seemingly float between two magnets, a phenomenon known as "magnetic levitation." (Image credit: ProteanVisuals via Getty Images) ...