Physicists have ‘solved’ mystery of levitation

Levitation was discovered a while ago, in unacknowledge special access project. This is the first time we actually see Main Stream science talk about it. According to Steven Greer: “Main stream science today is like Lockheed physic 101″. We are so behind it’s not funny…

Levitation has been elevated from being pure science fiction to science fact, according to a study reported today by physicists.

In earlier work the same team of theoretical physicists showed that invisibility cloaks are feasible.

Now, in another report that sounds like it comes out of the pages of a Harry Potter book, the University of St Andrews team has created an ‘incredible levitation effects’ by engineering the force of nature which normally causes objects to stick together.

Professor Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, have worked out a way of reversing this pheneomenon, known as the Casimir force, so that it repels instead of attracts.

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.

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, also explaining a “dry glue” effect that enables a gecko to walk across a ceiling.

Now, using a special lens of a kind that has already been built, Prof Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin report in the New Journal of Physics they can engineer the Casimir force to repel, rather than attact.

Because the Casimir force causes problems for nanotechnologists, who are trying to build electrical circuits and tiny mechanical devices on silicon chips, among other things, the team believes the feat could initially be used to stop tiny objects from sticking to each other.

Prof Leonhardt explained, “The Casimir force is the ultimate cause of friction in the nano-world, in particular in some microelectromechanical systems.

Such systems already play an important role – for example tiny mechanical devices which triggers a car airbag to inflate or those which power tiny ‘lab on chip’ devices used for drugs testing or chemical analysis.

Micro or nano machines could run smoother and with less or no friction at all if one can manipulate the force.” Though it is possible to levitate objects as big as humans, scientists are a long way off developing the technology for such feats, said Dr Philbin.

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

Prof Leonhardt leads one of four teams – three of them in Britain – to have put forward a theory in a peer-reviewed journal to achieve invisibility by making light waves flow around an object – just as a river flows undisturbed around a smooth rock.

(Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

Physicists have ‘solved’ mystery of levitation

Levitation was discovered a while ago, in unacknowledge special access project. This is the first time we actually see Main Stream science talk about it. According to Steven Greer: “Main stream science today is like Lockheed physic 101″. We are so behind it’s not funny…

Levitation has been elevated from being pure science fiction to science fact, according to a study reported today by physicists.

In earlier work the same team of theoretical physicists showed that invisibility cloaks are feasible.

Now, in another report that sounds like it comes out of the pages of a Harry Potter book, the University of St Andrews team has created an ‘incredible levitation effects’ by engineering the force of nature which normally causes objects to stick together.

Professor Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, have worked out a way of reversing this pheneomenon, known as the Casimir force, so that it repels instead of attracts.

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.

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, also explaining a “dry glue” effect that enables a gecko to walk across a ceiling.

Now, using a special lens of a kind that has already been built, Prof Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin report in the New Journal of Physics they can engineer the Casimir force to repel, rather than attact.

Because the Casimir force causes problems for nanotechnologists, who are trying to build electrical circuits and tiny mechanical devices on silicon chips, among other things, the team believes the feat could initially be used to stop tiny objects from sticking to each other.

Prof Leonhardt explained, “The Casimir force is the ultimate cause of friction in the nano-world, in particular in some microelectromechanical systems.

Such systems already play an important role – for example tiny mechanical devices which triggers a car airbag to inflate or those which power tiny ‘lab on chip’ devices used for drugs testing or chemical analysis.

Micro or nano machines could run smoother and with less or no friction at all if one can manipulate the force.” Though it is possible to levitate objects as big as humans, scientists are a long way off developing the technology for such feats, said Dr Philbin.

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

Prof Leonhardt leads one of four teams – three of them in Britain – to have put forward a theory in a peer-reviewed journal to achieve invisibility by making light waves flow around an object – just as a river flows undisturbed around a smooth rock.

(Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk)

Physicists Use Levitation To Solve a Sticky Problem

Scottish physicists at prestigious St Andrews University have developed a method of making tiny objects levitate by reversing a mysterious force of nature. Normally when you hear that someone is using “the force” to levitate objects, you have to wonder if they’re a confused Star Wars fan trying to be a Jedi warrior. However, these scientists say they are only using their knowledge of real physics to create an incredible solution to a real engineering problem.

Professor Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin have worked out how to turn the normally ‘sticky’ quantum force of empty space from attraction to repulsion using a specially developed lens placed between two objects.

“In order to reduce friction in the nanoworld, turning nature’s stickiness into repulsion could be the ultimate remedy. Instead of sticking together, parts of micromachinery would levitate,” explained Professor Leonhardt.

While it is also theoretically possible for humans to levitate, scientists are a long way off from developing the kind of technology needed for levitation on a larger scale.

“At the moment, in practice it is only going to be possible for micro-objects with the current technology, since this quantum force is small and acts only at short ranges. For now, human levitation remains the subject of cartoons, fairytales and tales of the paranormal,” cautions Leonhardt.

For smaller parts, the levitation will occur using a phenomenon called the “Casimir force”, which was predicted by quantum physicists back in 1948. It wasn’t proven to exist until scientists were finally able to measure it ten years ago. Scientists are still struggling to fully understand it.

The force is caused by a little understood quirk of nature which seemingly enables particles to “pop into existence” from out of nowhere. This creates a force that pushes together two objects placed very close to each other. It can also be demonstrated by a gecko’s ability to stick to a surface with just one toe.

Other scientists are eagerly taking notice of this fascinating research. The Scottish pair’s theory is now being examined by a leading American scientist, who plans to put the ideas into practice. Dr Frederico Capasso, of Harvard University in the United States, is currently also working on ways to manipulate the Casimir effect. Philbin said, “We’ve shown him our work and he’s very interested.”

The technique has the potential to revolutionize nanotechnology and the design of micro-machines. The scientists predict their discovery will ultimately lead to frictionless micro-machines with moving parts that levitate.

Because the Casimir force has little effect on everyday life—it is usually ignored. Nevertheless, it becomes an extremely important force when trying to develop tiny switches and micro-machines, since their components have a tendency to stick to each other.

Professor Leonhardt explains how controlling this force will revolutionize micro-engineering, “The Casimir force is the ultimate cause of friction in the nano-world, in particular in some micro-electromechanical systems. Micro or nano machines could run smoother and with less—or no friction at all—if one can manipulate the force.”

* This research is due to appear in this month’s edition of the New Journal of Physics.

(Source: http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2007/08/physicists-use-.html)

How Superconducting Levitation Works

Nice introduction to a few magnetic levitation concepts using superconductors.
Richard.