The mystery of levitation unveiled

Times of India ^ | 6/06/08 | Times of India

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

LONDON: Scot physicists have found a way to make objects float in the air without any physical support, something that is known as the levitation effect.

Professor Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin of the University of St Andrews say that the "incredible levitation effects" can be achieved by reversing the Casimir force, which normally causes objects to stick together...

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Hope they call for volunteers. Say when, say where, I'm there.

[savedbygrace]

Sounds like Steve Martin’s explanation of the secret to becoming a millionaire:

“First, get a million dollars . . . “

[Telepathic Intruder]

Since the Casimir effect only operates on the nano scale, I don’t think we can start building giant pyramids yet.

[Robert DeLong]

That’s nothing. I have developed a machine that will turn backyard grass into gold. I am tweaking it right now to work on front yard grass too. Want to invest???

[oh8eleven]

something that is known as the levitation effect.
Around these parts it's known as the flatulence effect.

[Bernard Marx]

I see this is from the Times of India. Heck, Indian fakirs have known how to levitate and climb “sky” ropes forever!

[WorkingClassFilth]

That’s great news! I eagerly await my flying car promised years ago in my ‘Weekly Reader.’

[red-dawg]

Big deal, these guys solved it long ago.
Levitron

[wideminded]

Sounds like Steve Martin’s explanation of the secret to becoming a millionaire:

“First, get a million dollars . . .

Someone recently told me about J. Paul Getty's advice on how to become rich:

1. Get up early every morning.
2. Work hard.
3. Find oil.

[devere]

Very interesting, but the work is already two years old:

http://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0608115

These guys are probably busy drafting their Nobel acceptance speeches.

[mkjessup]

Sounds like they’ve uncovered the secret of how to successfully manipulate and then uncouple the Heisenberg compensators.

No doubt Professor Moriarity will take note of this.

[668 - Neighbor of the Beast]

Thanks but we have a money tree. Want seeds?

[Captain Beyond]

bump for later read

[sig226]

Perhaps itty bitty ones?

[pankot]

What the f**** is the Casimir Force? A Polish plasma?

[Othniel]

It's what you get when you play Led Zep too loud.

*Budump!*

[Telepathic Intruder]

I think its a negative pressure force caused by quantum uncertainty when two objects are very close together. I should probably look it up first but that’s the best I can recall.

[The Cajun]

It's what you get when you play Led Zep too loud.

There is no way to play Led Zep too loud, for that matter, no way to play AC/DC or ZZ Top too loud!

[Robert DeLong]

Haven’t you heard, no one wants our money anymore.