As you vacuum your house, you’re probably not thinking too much about the United States’ over-reliance on foreign mineral resources.  Here’s why maybe you should:

Ever wonder what makes your Dyson DC 31 handheld vacuum cleaner whirl? You may be surprised to hear that the answer is rare earths.

Five times faster than a racing car engine, a neodymium magnet – neodymium being the strongest known magnetic material – spins at up to 104,000 times a minute as it reacts to alternating electromagnetic fields.

Given that China holds a near-total rare earths monopoly, geopolitics and your Dyson’s suction power are more closely linked than you would have thought.