Up, up and away! Scientists levitate mice

[Why Syzygy]

By Charles Q. Choi
Special to LiveScience

updated 1:02 p.m. CT, Wed., Sept . 9, 2009

Scientists have now levitated mice using magnetic fields.

Other researchers have made live frogs and grasshoppers float in midair before, but such research with mice, being closer biologically to humans, could help in studies to counteract bone loss due to reduced gravity over long spans of time, as might be expected in deep space missions or on the surfaces of other planets.

Scientists working on behalf of NASA built a device to simulate variable levels of gravity. It consists of a superconducting magnet that generates a field powerful enough to levitate the water inside living animals, with a space inside warm enough at room temperature and large enough at 2.6 inches wide (6.6 cm) for tiny creatures to float comfortably in during experiments.

Disoriented
The researchers first levitated a young mouse, just three-week-old and weighing 10 grams. It appeared agitated and disoriented, seemingly trying to hold on to something.

"It actually kicked around and started to spin, and without friction, it could spin faster and faster, and we think that made it even more disoriented," said researcher Yuanming Liu, a physicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. They decided to mildly sedate the next mouse they levitated, which seemed content with floating.

A plastic cage was also designed by physicist Da-Ming Zhu at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, to keep the mice in during levitation. Its top remained open to let in air, food, water and video surveillance, and its bottom was filled with small holes to allow waste removal.

From time to time, mice would kick the walls of the cage, causing it to briefly drop off from the levitation zone before re-entering it and floating again. (...)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32760311/ns/technology_and_science-science/

[Duer 157099]

1. So you know how they talk about building a better mouse trap?

I think they just did!

Just think, rogue mice wandering where they shouldn't are suddenly levitated and trapped in thin air!

And the next generation will trap ants and other insects!

Should I apply for the use patent?

[Why Syzygy]

4. LOL!

They will live in outer space before we do.

[Indenturedebtor]

5. Personally i'm going to file for the "Floating Love Chamber" patent

Anyone who says they haven't dreamt of doing it in space is a liar.

[Duer 157099]

6. LOL, well call me a liar then!

I mean, until you mentioned it, I hadn't thought of it.

But now that you did mention it, you do realize that it might be problematic, yes? Nothing to stop momentum-generated motion.... um.... I'm not sure it would be as fun as you may think.

But I think someone should do it to find out.

[NOW tense]

2. Ender would be proud of those mice. n/t

[tridim]

3. As long as it doesn't cause cancer, sign me up for the first human test.