The Curie point is the temperature at which certain materials lose their permanent magnetic properties and become paramagnetic. This phenomenon occurs because, at temperatures above the Curie point, the thermal energy disrupts the alignment of magnetic domains within the material, preventing it from maintaining a net magnetic field. Named after the physicist Pierre Curie, the Curie point varies for different materials. For example, the Curie point for iron is around 770 degrees Celsius. Understanding the Curie point is essential in fields like materials science and engineering, where magnetic properties are crucial for various applications.