Maggie's Farm

1 - When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.

2 - The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.

3 - Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Clarke's Three Laws.

Cool yes - quantum levitation not so much.

This effect is called flux pinning and has been known to science and industry for a long time. It can only work with Type II superconducters that have sufficient granular defects to allow for the suspension of the Lorenz Force. It isn't new "quantum science".

The technique is used in high temperature superconducting ceramics to prevent the breakdown of the edge binding properties of conducting ceramic materials. Norton Company (yes - the sandpaper/abrasives/safety equipment manufacturer) experimented with this for use in ultra high speed ceramic grinding wheels back in the early '90s with Cincinnati Milacron which no longer exists as a machine tool company. In fact, I don't think it even exists any more - Google Google Google - ah, yes it does, but it is now called Milacron and does plastics injection molding machinery. Huh - how about that. One of the biggest and most sophisticated machine tool companies in the world reduced to making milk jug forming machines. Sad.

I blame Canada.

Anyway, it is cool, has practical applications, but fails in larger scale experiments. We won't be seeing this effect used in anti-gravity engines in the near future. :>)

You mean I was right when I used the word "magic"??

See Clarke's Third Law.

And, as some commenter named Tim Frankis said just the other day, think of all the jobs it'll create! You can just see all those astrophysicists pounding down the door!

See Clarke's Second Law.

Wow - I haven't thought about Blish's "Cities in Flight" in a long time. Ever read Harry Harrison's "Stainless Steel Rat" series? Great stuff. I would also recommend John Scalzi's "Forever War" and other novels.

Are you into urban fantasy novels like Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files" or Ilona Andrews "Kate Daniels" series?

I haven't thought about that whole science fantasy thing in years. Used to be that there was a division - science fiction (hard science fiction) and fantasy (both future, alternate universe/reality, etc.) but at some point they blended together as the science fiction genre. I've been of the opinion that this was the result of Omni magazine which never made a distinction between the two and the invasion of women authors into the genre. Chic lit scifi. Chic lit scifi you say? Yes - chic lit scifi.

Now I know you might not believe this, but immediately after the invasion of women writers the rise of LBGT characters and themes in science fiction came along - this was during the late '60s, early '70s which in my opinion was a direct reflection of the female influence in scifi. At this point it was pretty much all either fanzine shorts and novellas and then came 1974 and Pamela Sergeant. Pam did a anthology titled Women of Wonder: Science Fiction Stories by Women, About Women which took all these fanzine shorts and novellas and put them in one book. It was all over after that - "hard" scifi and "fantasy" became one forever changed. We now have significant contributions into the genre by women and various and sundry LBGT authors who write some really good stuff.

I'm sorry - I'm a scifi fan freak - can't help it.

Oh, one last thing. My Dad was very good friends with Clifford Simak and through Simak Issac Asimov. In fact, my Dad collaborated with both of them on some projects in the mid-70's. One of the best ever experiences in my young life was walking into my house after football practice and sitting there in my living room was Simak, Asimov, my Dad and Harry Harrison. I was in awe. Got autographs too.

So I guess your "Sixth Law" actually holds huh?

I'll be darned. :>)

PS: Were you aware that there is a whole lesbian bodice ripper sub-genre in scifi? It's true - based out of Seattle - where else?

No, I've never seen the movie "Buck". I will look it up though.

There's another one "Chicks in Chainmail" - haven't thought of that one in years. I think I still have it in the library that I haven't unpacked.

As I remember it, there were some really funny stories in that collection. Need to read it again.

Speaking of Heinlein - he got really weird later in life. He had become interested in linguistic relativity as presented in Alfred Korzybski's "General Semantics" and a lot of his later works reflected that. He also supported and advised Tim Zell the founder of the Church of All Worlds, a Neopagan religious organization based largely on "Stranger in a Strange Land" with its social libertarianism, polyamory and what not that was part of the fabric of the novel.

For a kid meeting Asimov was a thrill of a lifetime. He was very nice to me, but I've heard stories from other folks in the scifi community that he could be a total ass more often than not.

By the way, I would be remiss if I didn't address your question about this object spinning in a vacuum.

It would eventually stop spinning (or moving or positioning) as the Lorenz Force resumed when the edge effect degraded due to temperature increases (temperature can rise in a vacuum).

Before you ask, the coolest area of interstellar space is a nice comfy 20 Kelvin or -423.4º F with the average being 225/250 K or -54.4º/-9.4 ºF so warming would happen - might take a LONG time for it to warm sufficiently, but it the flux pinning effect would degrade and stop.

Aren't you glad you asked? (Sorry - got sidetracked on the scifi thing and just realized it.)