Researchers have developed a new microscopy method that uses a magnetic field and polarized light to provide quantitative measurements that could enable faster and more objective detection of malaria in blood. Malaria, caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted by mosquitoes, infects over 200 million people around the world each year, causing more than 600,000 deaths. Faster, more objective detection methods are needed to improve diagnosis, guide treatment, and enable large-scale screening, especially in low-resource settings.