Magnetic vortices — so-called skyrmions — are stable, can have a diameter of just a few nanometres, and can be moved efficiently by electrical currents. Therefore, they are presently being discussed as candidates for high density, energy-saving data storage and processing. However, until very recently, the only materials known to exhibit skyrmions did so at extremely low temperatures. Scientists have predicted that skyrmions can also be realized for application at room temperature — and their properties specifically adjusted — when enveloped in magnetic layer structures.