The new research took a different approach by studying the material in an ultrathin form. Electron spins act like tiny magnetic needles, and their patterns reveal whether a material is magnetic and what type of magnetism it has. While the name is complicated, the method essentially allows scientists to map the behavior of electrons inside a material with remarkable detail. The researchers also discovered that this unusual behavior only appeared when the ultrathin material was placed under lattice strain. This finding suggests that scientists may be able to switch or adjust the magnetic behavior simply by controlling the amount of strain in the material.