Ding!

We were standing on the equator of Mars at high noon. Our intention was to magenetize the solid iron core of the planet. This was the first step in the terraforming process. It involved lots of nuclear reactions.

First, we had to turn the core into an electromagnet. This we do with two massive nuclear power plants, one at each pole. They fired up, and within a day there was a very strong field around the planet.

Of course, this would never do. Nuclear power is for space; solar is for earth. The power plants could not stay. We had to turn the core into a permanent magnet.

this, for me, was the fun part. You see, it was my idea to solve the nuclear electromagnet problem with an even bigger use of nuclear solutions. Nuclear explosive devices.

Take an iron bar, apply an electric field and you get magnetism. Ok, easy.

Turn off the power, no more field - or a very weak one.

Now, strike the bar while the field is active, viola! A permanent magnet.

It was now 1 minute before the gigaton explosive devices were set to go off.

This was not the first time in my life I wished I could eat popcorn in my spacesuit.