Defy the law of Gravity?

Most recent answer: 10/22/2007

Q:
can people defy the law of gravity by means of levitation , balance or magnetice devices.
- chris (age 18)
A:
Near Earth, we cannot ever escape the pull of gravity. However, small objects can be levitated by using an effect called diamagnetism. Superconductors are strongly diamagnetic, meaning that they magnetize in a way that tends to push them out of strong field regions. Superconductors can be levitated fairly easily. People, however are either not diamagnetic or not diamagnetic enough to levitate. It also hurts that we are so large, which limits how rapidly the field strength can vary over the region our bodies occupy. Tiny frogs are diamagnetic enough to be levitated by very strong magnets.

James and Mike

(published on 10/22/2007)