There is a lot of debate surrounding human magnetism – some people believe it exists, while others think it's nothing more than a myth. People have reported magnets sticking to their arm, shoulder, chest, skin and other parts of the body. In some bizarre cases there has been reports of magnets sticking to chicken and meat.
Case in point, 6-year-old Croatian boy Ivan Stoiljkovic caused a media buzz in 2014 for his ability to attract things – silverware, remote controls, cell phones, and even a large frying pan—onto his skin. His family claimed he was magnetic.

So what is the truth? Is human magnetism fact or fiction?
This blog post will look at the evidence for and against human magnetism and let you decide for yourself!
The notion of human magnetism—the ability to attract or repel objects with the power of one's mind—has been around for centuries. In more recent times, it has been popularized by a number of pop culture references, including the X-Men comic books and movies. Despite its enduring popularity, no scientific evidence supports the idea that human magnetism is a real phenomenon. Similarly, there is no reason to believe that magnetic objects are attracted to humans. While it's true that both magnetism and gravity are forces that exist in our universe, they operate under very different principles. Gravity is a force of attraction that pulls objects towards each other, while magnetism is a force of attraction or repulsion between objects containing magnetic materials. As such, a human can't generate enough magnetic force to either attract or repel objects. So what makes metallic objects stick on human skin if magnetism is refutable? In order to understand this, it is important to know how different objects will react in the presence of a magnet.
How objects will act in the presence of a magnetic Field
Diamagnetic Materials
A magnetic field weakly repels diamagnetic materials, and the material does not retain the magnetic properties when the external field is removed. These materials are used for various applications where magnets need to be isolated from each other.
Paramagnetic Materials
Paramagnetic materials are weakly attracted to magnetic fields, and they can be magnetized in the presence of an external magnetic field. When the external field is removed, the paramagnetic material will demagnetize and have no internal magnetic field.
Ferromagnetic Materials
Ferromagnetic materials are substances that can be magnetized and attracted to magnets. These materials are made up of tiny particles called atoms, which are all magnetic. When the atoms line up in the same direction, they create a strong magnetic field. Iron, cobalt, and nickel are examples of ferromagnetic materials. Ferromagnetism is the strongest type of magnetism and is responsible for the magnetic properties of permanent magnets, like the ones found in refrigerator magnets and electric motors.
Were humans to become magnetic, then they would act like diamagnetic materials.
However, there are a few reasons why humans cannot have magnetic properties:
- Magnetic materials are generally made of iron, nickel, or cobalt. These elements are not found in the human body in high enough concentrations to create a magnetic field.
- The alignment of molecules is key to creating a magnetic field, and human cells are not organized in such a way that they can create a consistent magnetic field.
- Humans rely on electrical signals passed on through their body from the brain and their entire neurological system to communicate and function; a magnetic field would interfere with these signals.
Therefore, while it might be fun to be able to attract or repel metal objects, it is not possible for humans to have magnetic properties.
How about Iron in the Body?
The human body contains a number of iron-containing compounds, including hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen in the blood. While iron is essential for human health, it is not sufficient to cause human magnetism. In order for a person to be attracted to a magnetic field, they must have a high concentration of iron in their blood. However, the amount of iron in the blood is tightly regulated by the body and is not typically high enough to cause magnetism. Additionally, iron is not the only element that can cause magnetism. The magnetic atoms contained in the body will need to be strong enough to maintain a magnetic field which is not possible,
So Why do Magnetic Objects Stick on Skin?
Metallic objects sticking to human skin can happen for a variety of reasons. All cases have in common, however, that the metal must come in contact with the skin for the sticking to occur. The most common reason for this phenomenon is static electricity. When two different materials rub together, they exchange electrons. If one of the materials is a conductor, like metal, and the other is an insulator, like human skin, the conductor will end up with more electrons than it started with. This leaves the insulator positively charged. The positively charged insulator will then attract the negatively charged conductor (the metal), causing the two to stick together. Another possible explanation is that some metals, like lead and mercury, have a greater affinity for skin than others. This means that they are more likely to chemically react with skin oils, forming a bond that causes them to stick.
Another reason that metallic objects are able to stick to human skin is due to skin stickiness and not human magnetism. The body's natural oils and sweat make the skin sticky, which causes the metals to stick. It's a common misconception that it's because of magnetism, but that's not the case. Magnetism requires two magnetic fields to interact with each other, and human skin doesn't have a magnetic field.
Can Magnets or Magnetic Objects stick on Vaccinated Arm or Vaccinated people?
If you were to put a vaccine near a magnet, the magnets would not be attracted to the vaccine. The reason why has to do with the way that vaccines are made. The process of making a vaccine involves breaking up the virus or bacteria into small pieces. Magnets are only attracted to materials that are already in a magnetic form, such as iron. Since vaccines don't contain any materials that are attracted to magnets, the magnets won't be attracted to them either. Additionally, since none of the reactions between a vaccine and the human body will produce a magnetic element, there is no way that vaccines can cause you to acquire magnetic abilities.
How to Disapprove Human Magnetism?
Talcum powder has a long history of absorbing moisture and reducing friction. It is often used for this purpose in cosmetics, as well as in baby powder and other personal care products. Talcum powder can also be used to disprove the theory of human magnetism. When applied to the skin, talcum powder creates a barrier that prevents electrical current from flowing between the body and any objects that come into contact with it. This means that when someone tries to demonstrate human magnetism by holding onto metal objects, the talcum powder will prevent them from doing so. In order to disprove human magnetism, simply apply talcum powder to your skin before the demonstration begins. If you are magnetic by any chance, you should still attract or repel magnets and magnetic objects, but if you don't, then the theory has been debunked!