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Which Is Cooler: Real Levitation, or Woo Levitation?

by Brian Dunning, Oct 20 2011

You’ve probably seen this video that’s been making the rounds lately:

What you’re seeing in this video is the Meissner effect, discovered in 1933 when a pair of researchers noticed that magnetic flux lines passed through a tin sample; but when it was supercooled, suddenly the lines bent around it. Two years later, superconductivity was discovered, and the dots were connected. It turns out that superconductors are not only perfect conductors of electricity, but they have this other property as well: when cooled to superconducting temperature within a magnetic field, they become “superdiamagnetic” and reject the magnetic field by creating an opposing one of their own. Within the superconductor, the magnetic flux density is zero.

What’s happening in this video is a little bit different. These researchers made an extremely thin superconductor (~1µm) by coating a sapphire wafer with a superconducting ceramic material. This structure is so thin that it still rejects the magnetic field, however it does so in a unique way: it compresses and channels the flux lines through what they call flux tubes, that pass through the structure. Note that when the guy moves the superconductor, he’s reorienting it in the magnetic field, which constructs new flux tubes. The superconductor then hangs in the air at the new orientation like a kid gripping the bars of a jungle gym. This admission of the magnetic flux into the superconductor happens in tiny, discrete quantities, which constitutes the excuse to use the eyeball-garnering term “quantum” into the title of the video.  :-)

And now, here comes my excuse to use the eyeball-garnering term “woo levitation” in the title of this post:

Needless to say, the physics of this particular method of levitation are slightly less complex.

26 Responses to “Which Is Cooler: Real Levitation, or Woo Levitation?”

  1. John says:

    Hmmmm…. I’m going to have to go with the quantum levitation, although that yogic “flying” looks really ….. stupid.

  2. Max says:

    Magicians can perform impressive-looking levitation.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc7wJA8fhKg

  3. John Hattan says:

    Funniest quote of the second video. . .

    “they can move without using their arms and legs”

    • I loved that one too. Especially since at the time the narrator said it, the guys were both vigorously swinging their arms and jumping.

    • Beelzebud says:

      Yes that also gave me a chuckle. Wildly flapping your arms, as you thrust with your legs, must not count on their plane of existence.

  4. Peter says:

    I could achieve even higher flying on a jumping castle, would that make a yogic master?

  5. steelsheen11b says:

    Which is cooler? Real levitation of course. The other video is just guys hopping, which begs the questions, how does hopping equal levitation?

  6. d brown says:

    I read how Magicians perform impressive-looking levitation back in the start of the 60s. Its so simple it made me feel dumb.

  7. MadScientist says:

    The yogi is a fake of course, but the Levitating Frog (no references included) is real – in that case a superconductor was used to create an immense magnetic field. I wouldn’t want to be in the frog’s place.

  8. Max says:

    Indoor Skydiving (vertical wind tunnel)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22aK7uqzZEg

  9. flintstone says:

    As their final exam they will now launch themselves from solid concrete.

    Seriously though, what’s the effect of performing this, say, in the space station, while already floating in midair, motionless relative to the spacecraft? Would the person practically remain in his position?

  10. Tom says:

    I couldn’t stop focusing on the fact that the guy was touching the ceramic without gloves. It was cooled with liquid nitrogen…shouldn’t that have “burned” his skin like dry ice would?

    • tmac57 says:

      I wondered about that too.

    • Somite says:

      You can touch it briefly like that with no harm done. If he works with liquid NO he’s probably frozen his nerve endings anyway for not using gloves.

    • I was also surprised by this, but someone on Skeptalk explained that although the wafer inside is indeed supercool, what you’re seeing on the outside is just regular ice that has condensed on its outside. It’s not dry ice or anything dangerous.

      • tmac57 says:

        Oh!So there’s a reasonable explanation!I was just about to start a Quantum Levitation conspiracy website,so thanks.(Man that would have been embarrassing)

      • Beelzebud says:

        Pshaw, he’s just parroting Big Liquid Nitrogen propaganda!

    • MadScientist says:

      The transfer of thermal energy is very inefficient, so it’s OK. Think of how it’s OK to hold a styrofoam cup filled with boiling hot water. So long as you don’t hold it for too long, you’ll be OK. For another example, consider using your bare hands to pick up a steel pipe in winter vs. picking up a stick.

    • Max says:

      Everyone get out your infrared thermometers.

  11. Infinite123Lifer says:

    Does anybody wish to develop an opinion on the nature of experimentation? Moreso, what level of sacrafice do living creatures of our world have to pay in our pursuit of understanding? I am not chiming in on animal rights but then again I tend to enjoy frogs in my garden more than most strangers on my street & I am moreso chiming in on ‘whats best for us all in the long run for the bigger picture’. I suppose somebody has been emotionally compelled enough to develop a hypothesis addressing any negative . . . aftershocks in our wisdom of namely animal testing (& I am not saying the frog mentioned above is representative of such testing. . . Iam just using the lil’ phib’ to explore a deeper philosophy of which I hope comes to fruition). By aftershocks in our wisdom I mean . . .perhaps the motivation to NOT sacrafice any creature could have led to a deeper overall understanding (that could have led to less genocide or violence?) of the world through advanced non-invasive observation and testing, perhaps the MRI or ultrasound would have been invented 50 years earlier & many other possibilities which could benefit to an improved global awareness of self. I believe that with all our knowlege we must assume a position of responsibility & I contend that with that responsibility comes (eventually) ultimate compassion for ALL Life. Personally, in any experiment involving creatures I am deeply personally affected and skeptic of my intent that the sacrafice I bestow upon that creature is worth my sometimes healthy cat-like curiousity.

    From a tiny seed comes a giant Oak.

  12. Chris Howard says:

    I’m guessing that the operational definition for “levitation” means something different in Transcedental Meditation circles?
    There was a similar video to this, several, years ago. I think it was on Montel Williams? Anyhow, this poor guy, who weighed all of ¢.95, gets up on stage, thick Indian accent, explaining the technique, the philosophy behind it, it’s history etc. So, time comes for the levitation, and he assumes the position. Drum roll, the whole nine yards. The guy’s really, really concentrating, and then pow! He “hops,” maybe, 6inches into the air, twice. The audience groans, boos, and guffaws, and the poor yogi, who thinks he’s just done the most miraculous thing, is shocked at the audiences reaction. I’m guessing the definition of levitation is different. Maybe our concept of levitation evolved from that yogic type of levitation?

  13. spacegod says:

    Yogic flying is neither yogic nor flying.
    And what was that nonsense about not using their arms or legs?
    That’s precisely all they DO use!
    It’s an embarrassment to meditation, frogs, and Patanjali.