Scientists have cracked the riddle of levitation

[k-robjoe]

Don´t ask me how they do it, but apparently scientists have cracked the riddle of levitation :

"The Casimir force is a consequence of quantum mechanics, the theory that describes the world of atoms and subatomic particles that is not only the most successful theory of physics but also the most baffling.

The force is due to neither electrical charge or gravity, for example, but the fluctuations in all-pervasive energy fields in the intervening empty space between the objects and is one reason atoms stick together (...)"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/06/nlevitate106.xml&CMP=ILC-mostviewedbox

----

Maybe "mad scientist" Hutcinson was the real thing after all.

Videoclip with his levitation-experiments :

http://www.livevideo.com/video/UKUFO/89ECCF63776640B0B69ECFFA0C9B07BA/the-hutchinson-effect.aspx ( 2 min )

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Man...

how many horrible "scientific" articles can these journalists print in one day?

[k-robjoe]

3. In what way "horrible "scientific" " ? n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. This, among others...

"The force is due to neither electrical charge or gravity"

And then they go ahead an reference van der waals forces, an electromagnetic phenomenon. They're picture is a magnet levitating above a superconductor, held in place thanks to gravity.

[slutticus]

29. LOL...yeah

"The force is due to neither electrical charge or gravity, for example, but the fluctuations in all-pervasive energy fields in the intervening empty space between the objects and is one reason atoms stick together, also explaining a “dry glue” effect that enables a gecko to walk across a ceiling."

I stopped reading after that paragraph.

[skids]

30. Actually I think the picture is a levitron top.

...I don't know a reason to use an odd shape like that to levitate over a superconductor.

But yeah they are essentially lying to the idle reader since they can't do this on a macro scale yet.

To levitate a human, though, all you need is a big/strong enough magnet, given we are diamagnets. Or
at least those of us without steel plates in our skulls are.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. Ah, could be.

Still electromagnetism.

[Subdivisions]

2. What's new about it? Larger versions of those things have

been seen flying around almost everywhere since 1947. Nobody knew, though, what they were until now. :D

[onethatcares]

4. chris angel has been doing that for a long time,

I even saw him on tv doing it.

[-..__...]

36. Here's one way he does it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRMHmnr4b60

Cheap parlor trick, but the simplicity of it (once you see how it's done), is the beauty of it (as in "why didn't I think of that" ? :smoke:).

[The Vinyl Ripper]

6. It is my understanding

That the Casimir effect or force is only operative over molecular distances..

[Tesha]

11. A'yup. (NT)

[k-robjoe]

13. But

Tey´re saying that they will be able to levitate a person :

"Their discovery could ultimately lead to frictionless micro-machines with moving parts that levitate But they say that, in principle at least, the same effect could be used to levitate bigger objects too, even a person."

[Tesha]

16. Depends how far you want them levitated, ehh? ;-)

> "Their discovery could ultimately lead to frictionless
> micro-machines with moving parts that levitate But they
> say that, in principle at least, the same effect could
> be used to levitate bigger objects too, even a person."

Depends how far you want them levitated, ehh? ;) The force
has plenty of force, but it will only "lift" you
(exert that force) over the distance of a few atomic
diameters.

The surfaces will have to be damned smooth to levitate a
person and actually notice it happening.

Tesha

[k-robjoe]

19. "quite a distance”

But read the end of the article. They´re talking about "quite a distance" :

"The practicalities of designing the lens to do this are daunting but not impossible and levitation “could happen over quite a distance”."

[Tesha]

23. Wait for the demonstration. ;-) (NT)

[skip fox]

7. Hell, all they have to do is run a gas pipe from Faux News and have the other end

open, directly under the chairs they're sitting on.

[enki23]

8. "riddile of levitation?" what was the riddle?

stupid, stupid, stupid title.

[k-robjoe]

15. riddle / mystery

In the article it says "mystery of levitation".

Having seen the Hutchinson experiments it seemed like a bit of a mystery/riddle to me. Is that so stupid?

[EstimatedProphet]

9. How does this explain Yuri Gellar?

Does he use the Casimir force too?

[KaptBunnyPants]

17. Nope, just fraud.

nt

[Tesha]

10. There's a pretty good exposition here...

There's a pretty good exposition here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_effect

...although they still describe the creation of a
Casimir-force-based repulsor as theoretical, not
actual.

Tesha

[sinkingfeeling]

12. I noticed this was accomplished by non-USA scientists.

[lovuian]

14. Wow isn't that fascinating it looks like a flying saucer

coincidence??? I don't think so

[Sanctified]

18. The girl in that picture looks like she may have a pretty face

but she has some seriously gnarly fingers, I want to mail her some hand lotion.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. Well, she keeps sticking her fingers into a liquid N2-cooled area... nt

[eppur_se_muova]

20. Here's the actual paper (link):

http://www.arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0608115
(edit to add: links to d/l on upper right)

more on quantum levitation:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~ulf/levitation.html

UL's home page:
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~ulf/

[TlalocW]

22. What's the big deal?

You just wave your wand at someone and say, "Levicorpus."

TlalocW

[onethatcares]

24. come on now, David Blane can do it

and pull cards through glass storefronts. A bit of walking on water and levitation is nothing.

[Chemical Bill]

35. That's for hanging upside down.

I forget if Wingardium Leviosa is only for inanimate objects, do you remember? First year was a long time ago.

Bill

[TlalocW]

37. I think it kind of depends on what body part you point the wand

Or maybe not.

TlalocW

[Chemical Bill]

40. Who remembers every little bit of schooling? Not me.

I'm better at herbology and potions, anyway.

Bill

[Javaman]

25. I thought moron* did that last week when he went swimming...

shit* floats...

:rofl:

Thank you thank you, I'll be hear all week, don't forget to tip your waitress!!

[Igel]

26. And don't forget to tip your cow, either. n/t

[mudesi]

27. Newspaper people shouldn't be allowed to write about science (nm)

[TZ]

28. unfortunately...

scientists are terrible writers. Have you ever read a scientific journal or textbook?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

33. "Have you ever read a scientific journal or textbook?"

Sure. That's what technical writing is supposed to be like.

[TZ]

38. some of them anyway

Some textbooks are much worse than others. I have big issues with a lot of technical writers, having done some of it myself (SOP's and such). Really finding a well writen technical text has always been a challange to me.

[NashVegas]

31. All I Know Is Bullshit Is Floating All Over Washington

..

[Karenina]

34. And it STINKS to HIGH HEAVEN.

[rosesaylavee]

39. Very interesting

Thanks for posting.