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Scientists levitate ultra-pure glass
cnn ^ | Thursday, April 1, 2004 | By Tariq Malik

Posted on 04/03/2004 10:19:15 AM PST by demlosers

Edited on 04/29/2004 2:04:08 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

An experiment originally designed to fly on the International Space Station led a team of researchers to develop a completely new type of glass, a material formed while floating in mid-air in a NASA laboratory on Earth.

Using static electrical fields to levitate the material, scientists were able to construct a pure glass, free of any contamination typically associated with containers. It could serve as the centerpiece for new medical and industrial lasers, as well as have broadband Internet applications.


(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Miscellaneous; Technical
KEYWORDS: glass; nasa; science
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A solid sample of metal alloy floats
inside NASA's laboratory at the Marshall
Space Flight Center in Alabama.

1 posted on 04/03/2004 10:19:16 AM PST by demlosers
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To: All

Donate Here By Secure Server
2 posted on 04/03/2004 10:20:22 AM PST by Support Free Republic (I'd rather be sleeping. Let's get this over with so I can go back to sleep!)
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To: demlosers
The Amazing Randy says levitation is a hoax.
3 posted on 04/03/2004 10:23:11 AM PST by Khurkris (Ranger On...)
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To: demlosers
An experiment originally designed to fly on the International Space Station led a team of researchers to develop a completely new type of glass, a material formed while floating in mid-air in a NASA laboratory on Earth.

Yet another reason we don't need a $100 billion money pit orbiting the earth. Time to burn it up.

4 posted on 04/03/2004 10:27:45 AM PST by Moonman62
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To: demlosers
"So we're not talking about golf balls and pineapples here," Weber said of the production capabilities.

Shucks. And here I was hoping for a breakthrough in the glass golf ball and pineapple markets.

5 posted on 04/03/2004 10:32:21 AM PST by Willie Green (Go Pat Go!!!)
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To: Khurkris
April 1 publication date might be a clue...
6 posted on 04/03/2004 10:36:00 AM PST by JimRed (Fight election fraud! Volunteer as a local poll watcher, challenger or district official.)
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To: AdmSmith
Pong
7 posted on 04/03/2004 10:55:12 AM PST by nuconvert ("America will never be intimidated by thugs and assassins." ( President Bush 3-20-04))
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To: demlosers
Cool--if it's not an April Fool's joke :)
8 posted on 04/03/2004 11:28:04 AM PST by Fedora
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To: Khurkris; JimRed
Diamagnetic Levitation

Many common materials such as water, wood, plants, animals, diamonds, fingers, etc. are usually considered to be non-magnetic but in fact, they are very weakly diamagnetic. Diamagnets repel, and are repelled by a strong magnetic field. The electrons in a diamagnetic material rearrange their orbits slightly creating small persistent currents which oppose the external magnetic field. Two of the strongest diamagnetic materials are graphite and bismuth.

The forces created by diamagnetism are extremely weak, millions of times smaller than the forces between magnets and such common ferromagnetic materials as iron. However, in certain carefully arranged situations, the influence of diamagnetic materials can produce startling effects such as levitation.

It was proved in 1842 that it is impossible to stably levitate any static array of magnets by any arrangement of fixed magnets and gravity. However, the addition of diamagnetic materials makes such levitation possible. The July 22 Nature paper, Magnetic Levitation at your fingertips, describes two configurations where diamagnetic materials are used to stabilize the levitation of a magnet in the field of a fixed lifting magnet.

Levitation without Meditation

It is surprising at first to see the frog and the top suspended in midair, in apparent defiance of gravity. They are supported by the force of magnetism. For the frog, the force comes from an electromagnet (coil of wire in which a current is flowing); for the top, the source is a magnetized metal slab. These powerful magnets push upwards on the frog and the top, because they are magnets too (weak ones). The magnetic force exactly balances gravity, so the top and the frog are in equilibrium and can float - there is no net force on them. A slight difference is that the top is intrinsically magnetized - it is a permanent magnet - while the frog is intrinsically non-magnetic but becomes magnetized by the field of the electromagnet – this is ‘induced diamagnetism’. Most substances are diamagnetic, and Andrey was able to levitate a variety of objects, including drops of water and hazelnuts.

MAGNETIC LEVITATION TRAINS

Magnetically levitated (MAGLEV) trains are considered as a future application of HTS development. . .The idea of MAGLEV transportation has been around since the early 1900s. The benefit of eliminating the wheel/rail friction to obtain higher speeds and lower maintenance costs has great appeal. The basic idea of a MAGLEV train is to levitate it with magnetic fields so there is no physical contact between the train and the rails (guideways).

[SNIP]

To find out the rest of the story, we refer you to the following Web sites:

general overview of MAGLEV systems

high speed MAGLEV systems in Japan

high speed systems in Germany

discussion of MAGLEV systems in general and HTS systems in particular (first chapter of the thesis of Dr. Mark Thompson at MIT).

9 posted on 04/03/2004 11:41:07 AM PST by Fedora
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To: Fedora
"The forces created by diamagnetism are extremely weak, millions of times smaller than the forces between magnets"

AAARRRGGGGHHH, how can someone write such a seemingly learned article and then say "millions of times smaller"? There is no such thing as millions of times smaller, what math class did this person attend?
10 posted on 04/03/2004 1:18:57 PM PST by RipSawyer (America needs a good democRAT terrier.)
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To: RipSawyer
AAARRRGGGGHHH, how can someone write such a seemingly learned article and then say "millions of times smaller"? There is no such thing as millions of times smaller, what math class did this person attend?

Maybe they meant to say "billions and billions times smaller" :)


11 posted on 04/03/2004 1:25:40 PM PST by Fedora
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To: Fedora
Probably so, that would certainly make more sense, wouldn't it? Oh wait, I think I need some more coffee, I am working a twelve hour night shift tonight ;o)
12 posted on 04/03/2004 2:21:11 PM PST by RipSawyer (America needs a good democRAT terrier.)
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To: Fedora
I see use for this in a railgun...
In practical everyday use *shrug* I don't know.
Of course, if it CAN be used in a railgun, I'd like to launch an unopened soda can on it's 'christening' shot.
Yes, I'm somewhat babbling here.
Mind working faster than I can type, and the thinking is about the diamagnetism and levitation info.
*hmm*
13 posted on 04/03/2004 2:34:30 PM PST by Darksheare (Fortune for the day: Hugs and apologies are nice, but slaying our enemies is better.)
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To: demlosers
Very kewl. So Scotty and StarTrek WERE ahead of their time, Sounds like "Rare Earth Aluminum oxide " is the invisible aluminum that Scotty gave the glass manufacturer in, which one was it? the whale movie.....
14 posted on 04/03/2004 2:38:30 PM PST by Centaur (Member of "The RAM", formerly VRWC)
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To: Centaur
Powder..Patch..Ball FIRE!

Transparent Aluminum... Light and extremely strong....

15 posted on 04/03/2004 3:15:18 PM PST by BallandPowder
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To: RipSawyer
Probably so, that would certainly make more sense, wouldn't it? Oh wait, I think I need some more coffee, I am working a twelve hour night shift tonight ;o)

LOL! "Billions and billions of cups of coffee. . ." :) Good luck with surviving your 12-hour shift--I don't envy you having to do that the day we switch to Daylight Savings!

16 posted on 04/03/2004 5:37:47 PM PST by Fedora
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To: Darksheare
Of course, if it CAN be used in a railgun, I'd like to launch an unopened soda can on it's 'christening' shot.

Here ya go :)

A railgun in 10 minutes

17 posted on 04/03/2004 5:43:34 PM PST by Fedora
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To: Fedora
Now I'm giving people bad ideas.
;-)
*chuckle*
Thanks!
18 posted on 04/03/2004 5:48:16 PM PST by Darksheare (Fortune for the day: Hugs and apologies are nice, but slaying our enemies is better.)
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To: Moonman62
Yet another reason we don't need a $100 billion money pit orbiting the earth. Time to burn it up.

Would you rather give that $100 billion to single mothers? 'Cuz that's where it will go otherwise.

Those are your choices: A space program or more single mothers.

19 posted on 04/03/2004 5:55:09 PM PST by Cogadh na Sith (The Guns of Brixton)
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To: Darksheare
Now I'm giving people bad ideas.

;-)

LOL! Here's some more good sources of bad ideas:

Robert E. Iannini, Build Your Own Laser, Phaser, Ion Ray Gun and Other Working Space Age Projects

Robert E. Iannini, Build Your Own Working Fiberoptic Infrared and Laser Space-Age Projects

20 posted on 04/03/2004 5:57:36 PM PST by Fedora
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