In Autumn 2009, researchers reported experimental observation of low-energy quasiparticles resembling the predicted monopoles in spin ice. A single crystal of the dysprosium titanate spin ice candidate was examined in the temperature range of 0.6–2.0 K. Using neutron scattering, the magnetic moments were shown to align in the spin ice material into interwoven tube-like bundles resembling Dirac strings. At the defect formed by the end of each tube, the magnetic field looks like that of a monopole. Using an applied magnetic field, the researchers were able to control the density and orientation of these strings. A description of the heat capacity of the material in terms of an effective gas of these quasiparticles was also presented.