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originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: wildb
We know magnets repel each other when polarities conflict right? We also know the earth is basically a giant magnet. Electro-magnetic forces can repel earth's natural gravity, but it takes a lot of power.
originally posted by: stormcell
But if you can get something to polarize the space-time around it (like a magnetic field), and then quickly reverse that polarization, then you could get some sort of propulsion.
That's what I was saying. Making things really cold does just that.
originally posted by: booyakasha
kick flip that thing down a 20 stair.
originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: wildb
First of all, it is important to understand the difference between a magnet, and a concentration of mass, therefore gravity.
Although we have a magnetosphere, for which we are all very grateful I would hope, the effect of that magnetism is not strong enough at ground level to be utilised by a method of transportation. Put another way, magnets do not stick to, or get repelled away from, the ground itself, and there is no advance, no science coming on stream which even seeks to change that, let alone having a hope in hell of actually doing so at this point.
Now, it is true that GRAVITY sticks us to the ground, and unfortunately for prospects associated with the sort of technology you are looking to see, we also have NO proven ability to counteract that force, with any but the most brute force, and least intellectually interesting methods. Rockets, jets, fans, rotors... No exotic physics is ever involved with any of the technologies we have access to, which involve shrugging off the bonds of gravity, and until we have something far more interesting than those tried and tested methods, we will not be seeing a hoverboard which will meet your expectations for some considerable time, perhaps more than our lifetimes.
Then maybe you can explain the concept of very low temperatures polarizing spacetime, which is what you said happens.
I know what polarization is.
I did. Here:
I was suggesting a supercooled magnet could theoretically use earth's natural magnetic properties as a repellant. It's a theory of my own, formed by quantum levitation.
If you care to explain how that couldn't work, I'm all ears.
There are two things about the Earth’s magnetic field which makes this effect much smaller. For one, the field is very weak at the surface (about a gauss or less).
van.physics.illinois.edu...
The Earth’s magnetic field does not change rapidly enough from place to place to levitate even a superconductor.