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Levitating Superconductor Floats Within a Magnetic Field

Posted October 18, 2011 11:15 AM

From Engadget:

What happens when you douse a superconducting urinal cake with liquid nitrogen? We haven't given it too much thought, to be honest, though we're guessing it would look a lot like the "levitating" disc pictured above. Developed by researchers at Tel-Aviv University, this device is actually a superconductor hovering over a "supercooled" magnet. While locked within the magnetic field, it can rotate around a vertical axis, turn upside down or do laps around a track -- all thanks to a phenomenon that Tel-Aviv's physicists call "quantum trapping." We're not really sure what that entails, but we do know that the results are pretty incredible. Check the video out for yourself, after the break.

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#1

Re: Levitating Superconductor Floats Within a Magnetic Field

10/18/2011 7:04 PM

I can see definite uses in space. Easier to keep things at a superconducting temperature with no atmosphere.

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#2

Re: Levitating Superconductor Floats Within a Magnetic Field

10/19/2011 12:47 AM

Isn't this just the "normal" levitation of a superconductor in a magnetic field?

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Re: Levitating Superconductor Floats Within a Magnetic Field

10/22/2011 10:23 AM

Yes, here it is, please come in, we were waiting for you .

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