Gravity Probe B Confirms The Existence of Gravitomagnetism

[Lucidity]

May 10th, 2011

Explanation: Does gravity have a magnetic counterpart? Spin any electric charge and you get a magnetic field. Spin any mass and, according to Einstein, you should get a very slight effect that acts something like magnetism. This effect is expected to be so small that it is beyond practical experience and ground laboratory measurement. In a bold attempt to directly measure gravitomagnetism, NASA launched in 2004 the smoothest spheres ever manufactured into space to see how they spin. These four spheres, each roughly the size of a ping-pong ball, are the key to the ultra-precise gyroscopes at the core of Gravity Probe B. Last week, after accounting for persistent background signals, the results were announced - the gyroscopes precessed at a rate consistent with the gravitational predictions of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The results, which bolster existing findings, may have untold long term benefits as well as shorter term benefits such as more accurate clocks and global positioning trackers.

Source: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110510.html

[Gorri]

If you can get magnetism out of gravity, there's probably a pretty good chance you can get gravity out of a high powered magnet, right?

That could lead to the invention of an anti-gravity ray gun (by reversing the polarity of your magnetic flux gravitimitron) with which you could float staplers eerily around the office and fool your workmates!

That's pretty bad ass! Thanks for the link.

[Lucidity]

Magnetic flux gravitimitron? I'm not sure what you're talking about.. I don't have a degree in physics or in electromagnetics, but I couldn't find what you mentioned after a few google searches..?

What I think you might be trying to describe would be more along the lines of superconductor levitation. Using your example of the staplers in the workplace, if you had enough financial resources to cover the staplers in very, very, VERY small atomic superconductors, (superconductive elements such as zinc, aluminium, tin, and mercury a mere 15 atoms long - 10 atoms smaller than the pentium chip found in most laptops!) and more financial resources to run an electric current through the room, you would be delighted to find the staplers floating!

If you have the wealth and desire, godspeed!

[Darkened Skies]

He was kidding Lucid. And for the record, that's some amazing scientific discovery right there, thanks for the link

[Gorri]

I'm pretty broke... so I just used my mind (psychokinesis). Boy is my cube neighbor FREAKING out right now!