Take a 110volt electromagnet and attach it to an iron beam. Now take a nice strong neo magnet and attach it to the same beam. Now stick a 1 lb piece of metal to each of these. The electromagnet is using energy to generate the field to hold the metal in place. And the neo magnet is using what to hold the metal and keep it from hitting the floor? Energy? Nope.

Now you might say that it took quite a bit of energy to make that neo magnet. OK, good try. I bought that neo magnet for $1 and the electro-magnet has now been running for twenty years at about $35 bucks a year. How much energy do you really think it took to make that neo magnet? How long do you think it will hold that piece of metal up there, 100 years? 1,000 years? These little “magnets” are as close to a physicists hearts desire as perpetual motion can get.