Will an anti-gravity device ever be created? What would it involve?

[Tex]

I read back in 98 I think it was NASA was doing research along these lines, but not quite the scale which I am referring. Do you think it would be possible to create a device which basically cancels gravity allowing spacecraft to have Star Wars like physics? If something like this is remotely possible in your opinion, what would be involved in making something like that?

 

[Kaito]

I think an anti-gravity device will be created. Within the next 100 years, probably not.

The way I think of it: All particles have "spin" (quantum mechanics, If i remember correctly). So, if we ever do discover the "graviton", I would assume by creating gravitons with the opposite spin of the "natural" graviton, the two would cancel.
But, this is just my idea, I have no scientific evidence to back it up.

 

[Artlav]

The whole idea is largely sci-fi driven - it would be nice to flip a switch and become weightless. In reality we have not a slightest idea what is causing gravity or how can it be created other than by lumping together mass or energy.

The star wars physics, on the other hand, are either inertialess motion or reactionless motors of some sort, or just plain old magic.

It would be much nicer to have a device behaving like a reactionless engine - you can get anywhere without exponential mass requirements. But it's equally unknown how to push against the entire universe or something similar needed to make that thing.

 

[Andy44]

Star Wars physics is more than just no gravity and no inertia, it's also airplane-like flight in a vaccuum. In the novels the device which made this possible was called an "ethereal rudder", basically a virtual control surface that could push against the "ether", the fabric of space. Just a handwavium device.

 

[Ark]

Star Wars physics is more than just no gravity and no inertia, it's also airplane-like flight in a vaccuum. In the novels the device which made this possible was called an "ethereal rudder", basically a virtual control surface that could push against the "ether", the fabric of space. Just a handwavium device.

All of which was invented as backstory to cover the fact that George Lucas watched movies about WWII-era fighter battles and went "Do exactly that, shot for shot, but in space." :lol:

 

[Bj]

In reality we have not a slightest idea what is causing gravity or how can it be created other than by lumping together mass or energy.

Isn't it because all mass attracts each other? At least by Newton's theory.

So to make anti-gravity put an earth sized planet over your head... and then you would be weightless... right before you get squished:rofl:

 

[tblaxland]

Isn't it because all mass attracts each other? At least by Newton's theory.

By the equivalence principle, there is no attraction at all. Just two objects distorting space-time and following Newton's laws. Assuming the equivalence prinicple holds (and there is strong evidence that it should), then the only solution to anti-gravity would be to find some matter with negative mass.

 

[Eagle]

I read back in 98 I think it was NASA was doing research along these lines, but not quite the scale which I am referring. Do you think it would be possible to create a device which basically cancels gravity allowing spacecraft to have Star Wars like physics? If something like this is remotely possible in your opinion, what would be involved in making something like that?

That really depends upon what answer to quantum gravity we get. Hopefully the LHC can discover something about that.

We have pretty good control over the electromagnetic spectrum and it can be done with quite crude materials. It would be wonderful to find the gravitational equivalent of wrapping wire around a nail, or alternating current across wires of certain lengths.

Now we don't seem to have any gravitational magnetite that acts differently from any other matter, so that clue isn't there. But there are some weird anomalies we account for by using dark matter halos.

If an antigravity device is created, don't be surprised if its working with an elegantly simple method.

 

[Bj]

By the equivalence principle, there is no attraction at all. Just two objects distorting space-time and following Newton's laws. Assuming the equivalence prinicple holds (and there is strong evidence that it should), then the only solution to anti-gravity would be to find some matter with negative mass.

I am not really educated on the equivalence principle, not really sure how that works or what it is implying that is causing gravity.

Orbiter uses Newtonian physics, so I am happy sticking with that.

 

[JamesG]

We have pretty good control over the electromagnetic spectrum and it can be done with quite crude materials.

Magnetism has very little to do with gravity.

But there are some weird anomalies we account for by using dark matter halos.

"Dark Matter" The new answer to everything we don't know...

If an antigravity device is created, don't be surprised if its working with an elegantly simple method.

Probably not. Gravity is a structural function of the basic pricipals of our universe. If reverse or negative gravity could exist naturally we would see the effects of it (stuff being pushed away instead of attracted).

 

[tblaxland]

I am not really educated on the equivalence principle, not really sure how that works or what it is implying that is causing gravity.

The equivalence principle arises from the observation that inertial and gravitational mass are the same (within quite high degrees of certainty anyway). That is quite a remarkable coincidence unless the two masses are actually the same thing. If they are in fact the same, then we can conclude that an object in freefall is not accelerating but rather following Newton's first law in a curved space-time. Similarly, an object on the surface of the Earth is actually being accelerated at 1 G and behaves just like an object inside a spacecraft accelerating at 1 G. Gravity then is just a psuedo-force caused by curved space-time, much like the centifugal psuedo-force that is experienced by an observer inside a rotating cylinder. To change the psuedo-force, you must change the curvature.

 

[T.Neo]

Will it ever be created? I certainly won't rule out the possibility. If we ever do create antigravity it will certainly be a revolutionary technology.

As for what it will look like, no-one can say for certain (otherwise, someone would have built it by now ). But I think a "simple" method requiring "cheap" manufacturing techniques and low power requirements would be needed to make it widespread and successful.

As for it making "star wars physics", no. Star wars physics are just that; star wars physics. Not real physics.

Some interesting physical effects might be producable using antigravity, but it certainly won't involve wizzing around space like a P-51.

 

[JamesG]

If the technology for creating a "Warp drive" is ever developed, "Anti-gravity" is probably going to be a side effect. If you can manipulate space-time finely enough to move matter FTL, then creating zones of high, low, or even anti gravity (turning space "inside out") should be pretty easy.

Of course that first "if" is the hardest part...

 

[T.Neo]

Indeed.

 

[Urwumpe]

I don't believe in anti-gravity...but maybe it is possible to create a controlled distortion of space or interaction between gravity and magnetism. The first experiments about it are pretty surprising, since there seems to be something happening that is magnitudes above the measurement accuracy.

http://www.esa.int/esaMI/GSP/SEM0L6OVGJE_0.html

Which is also interesting for people who believe in Heim Quantum Theory, since the predictions of it for the same experiment are very close to the measurements, despite using a different model behind it.

 

[JamesG]

I don't believe in anti-gravity...but maybe it is possible to create a controlled distortion of space or interaction between gravity and magnetism. The first experiments about it are pretty surprising, since there seems to be something happening that is magnitudes above the measurement accuracy.
http://www.esa.int/esaMI/GSP/SEM0L6OVGJE_0.html

Meh. That they had to use a superconductor to achieve the results makes me think its purely an electromagnetic phenomenon (ie the latent magnetic field influencing the accellerometers or some such).

If they can repeat the results with a big heavy lump of something nonconductive, then I will pay attention to it.

 

[TMac3000]

By the equivalence principle, there is no attraction at all. Just two objects distorting space-time and following Newton's laws. Assuming the equivalence prinicple holds (and there is strong evidence that it should), then the only solution to anti-gravity would be to find some matter with negative mass.

Now, if there were an object with negative mass, it would automatically travel faster than light. A "mass inverter" would allow a starship to fly faster than light by changing its mass to the equivalent negative value. Or is this mere sci-fi gibberish?

 

[JamesG]

A "mass inverter" would allow a starship to fly faster than light by changing its mass to the equivalent negative value. Or is this mere sci-fi gibberish?

I think it would be classified as refined Handwavium. :lol:

 

[Urwumpe]

If they can repeat the results with a big heavy lump of something nonconductive, then I will pay attention to it.

Let me guess. You also don't believe in gravity, because it only works with mass. If it would work with something massless, you would.

 

[JamesG]

No..... I think that if you want to prove an experiment manipulates gravity, its probably a good idea to isolate it from possible "contamination" from electromagnetic effects.