The Curie temperature is the temperature at which certain materials, known as ferromagnets, lose their permanent magnetic properties. Above this temperature, the thermal energy disrupts the alignment of magnetic moments, causing the material to become paramagnetic, meaning it can only be magnetized in the presence of an external magnetic field. This concept is named after the physicist Pierre Curie, who studied magnetism in the late 19th century. Different materials have different Curie temperatures, which can be influenced by factors such as composition and structure. Understanding the Curie temperature is essential in applications like magnetic storage and electronic devices.