Levitating Superconductor on a Möbius strip

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  • čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
  • Andy takes a closer look at one of his favourite demos from the 2012 Christmas Lectures, bringing together a levitating superconductor and a bewildering Möbius strip made from over 2,000 magnets.
    We'd love it if you helped us translate this video: czcams.com/users/timedtext_vide...
    As his super-conducting boat whizzes along the track, Andy demonstrates the remarkable properties of the superconducting material (Yttrium barium copper oxide) which allows it to seemingly float both above and below the track.
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  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 2,2K

  • @theCodyReeder
    @theCodyReeder Před 6 lety +2971

    I love the unnecessary safety glasses but no gloves when handling the nitrogen.

    • @TheRoyalInstitution
      @TheRoyalInstitution  Před 6 lety +185

      Thanks for checking out the video! We had a similar question in the team so asked Andy to explain, and this is his response - czcams.com/video/kdWrKhVbCLw/video.html

    • @gralteindauphinois7793
      @gralteindauphinois7793 Před 6 lety +19

      Yeah, but you do it better, we donr want you to get hurt with those nasty maths

    • @Etheoma
      @Etheoma Před 6 lety +134

      You don't ware gloves while dealing directly liquid nitrogen because it will not actually contact your skin because it will boil off before it does and if you ware gloves it will freeze the gloves then that will freeze your skin, you do when you are handling solid things that have been cooled by it though polistiren or other poor thermal conductors should be ok to handle for short times due to it's poor thermal conductivity.
      Which I think the model was polistiren although that paint will have better conductivity probably.

    • @Dr.Freeze
      @Dr.Freeze Před 6 lety +6

      Etheoma Your absolutely right, mate!

    • @nicewhenearnedrudemostlyel489
      @nicewhenearnedrudemostlyel489 Před 6 lety

      why would you love that? seems to me like you're wanting him to get hurt, and spread the knowledge.

  • @XxSmingiexX
    @XxSmingiexX Před 10 lety +1400

    "It does not levitate, it simply fails to fall."

    • @xxpostaldude25
      @xxpostaldude25 Před 10 lety +200

      "You aren't an idiot, you simply lack intelligence."

    • @MrSigsen
      @MrSigsen Před 10 lety +111

      "He wasn't quoting the best book in existence, he was simply quoting The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

    • @scpenry
      @scpenry Před 10 lety +17

      MrSigsen " This one thought it was Bioshock Infinite"

    • @SpicyMelonYT
      @SpicyMelonYT Před 6 lety +8

      Mikel Collums u simply fail to sound intelligent

    • @SpicyMelonYT
      @SpicyMelonYT Před 6 lety +4

      Christopher Haugen haha I just saw what u said after what I said lol great minds think alike

  • @edisontrent618
    @edisontrent618 Před 9 lety +505

    Our hover cars are going to need some really good AC and heated seats.

    • @garyfarnald7934
      @garyfarnald7934 Před 5 lety +2

      @Wan Ikmal then someone needs to tell them a superconductor needs to be near -217 C°

    • @mikakorhonen5715
      @mikakorhonen5715 Před 5 lety +38

      We have those kind of cars here in Finland, but they work only in January.

    • @nugut
      @nugut Před 5 lety +9

      Not to mention the roads of giant magnets we'd need

    • @F_L_U_X
      @F_L_U_X Před 4 lety +5

      Something more like a bullet train would be more logical.

    • @pain2737
      @pain2737 Před 4 lety +1

      why not electromagnets as roads?

  • @PWXKN
    @PWXKN Před 10 lety +253

    "...VERY STRONG MAGNETS. Avoid them"
    *cuts to shot of a guy touching the magnets*

    • @kurtilein3
      @kurtilein3 Před 10 lety +24

      orders are for untrained unprofessionals. trained professionals know that when you put your credit cards, watch, cellphone, other electronics, and jewellry into a different room or into an iron box and dont rely on a pacemaker, its completely fine :) but if you put that on a sign, then some people wont read it.

    • @PWXKN
      @PWXKN Před 10 lety +3

      well yeah i understand, it was just a bit... ironic? i guess.

    • @lvbboi9
      @lvbboi9 Před 4 lety

      @@PWXKN Exactly
      That guy is trying to ruin the joke and look smart, and even if he IS actually explaining it sincerely
      Is not like we needed it or anything
      But I thank him after all

    • @ShadeAKAhayate
      @ShadeAKAhayate Před 4 lety +1

      @Donald Duck He's not cooling a magnet, he's cooling a solid that can be a superconductor under certain conditions.

  • @streak1burntrubber
    @streak1burntrubber Před 7 lety +582

    Stick a little fan to it, and you don't need to push it.
    Connect that fan to a remote controller, and you can drive it around.
    Connect multiple fans, and make the track fatter, and you have a car that can steer.
    Make multiple cars, and you have a race track.
    Imagine that: a mobius strip superconductor racetrack. Since you use superconductors, you could make it go ridiculously fast. If that isn't a cool idea for a toy, I don't know what is.

    • @phycoman4561
      @phycoman4561 Před 5 lety +127

      Its just the problem on little kids handling liquid nitrogen and daring their friends to stick their hands in it.

    • @bepis2123
      @bepis2123 Před 5 lety +9

      That's just stupid

    • @leanmeangreenbeanmachine3347
      @leanmeangreenbeanmachine3347 Před 5 lety +16

      streak1 *liquid nitrogen not included

    • @lipstick372
      @lipstick372 Před 5 lety +11

      that would probably be around $2,000 dollars or something. not many people will pay that much to watch fast miniature racecars.

    • @balthazarnaylor5874
      @balthazarnaylor5874 Před 5 lety +6

      It’s going to be attracted to the track itself, and it can demagnetize the superconducter

  • @tiekogalaxylatte8839
    @tiekogalaxylatte8839 Před 10 lety +30

    table of possible achievements:
    1st:super conductors that work on room temperature
    2nd:levitating cars
    3rd:Mario Kart 8 in real life xD

    • @white_shadow_123
      @white_shadow_123 Před 10 lety +4

      1.1 superconducting processors that work on room temperatures. fuck levitating cars, they can wait.. :D

    • @matsv201
      @matsv201 Před 10 lety +1

      Using carbonnano tubes we could make quasi super conductors. Not really superconductor, but something like 1000 times better than cooper Pair it with a small battery and circuit you could make something that works the same way with out using superconductors.
      We can do it today to with copper coils, but the the battery will run out in 2 minutes, with carbon nanotubes it will last for hours.
      There is actually toys that work this way.
      Levitron World Stage Levitating Globe - www.earthtechproducts.com
      The magnet is in the glob insted, and there is a coil doing the same work as the super conductor. A small transistor feed in losed power into the coil to it act the same way as a super conductor.
      Also, Transrapid Magnettrain, works the same way, no superconductor. Thow SC-maglev magnettrain in Japan doe use superconductor.

    • @soylentgreenb
      @soylentgreenb Před 10 lety +3

      "1st:super conductors that work on room temperature"
      Already done. But we don't know how to produce it pure (only a small part of the conductor is the superconductor, giving you a small jump in resistance when going above Tc of that part which is superconducting).
      We don't know how to cheaply mass produce it.
      The usual problem of high temperature superconductors (all the ones that work with liquid nitrogen cooling) remain. Superconductors can't withstand very strong magnetic fields, or the superconductivity disappears. Type II superconductors form magnetic vortices, that channel the magnetic field in "pillars" of normal non-superconducting material, in a sea of superconducting material; this allows the critical field to be higher before the superconductivity breaks down. For high temperature superconductors this critical magnetic field tends to be too low for most interesting applications, even if it's a type II superconductor.

  • @roofusonna1846
    @roofusonna1846 Před 8 lety +44

    This is the coolest train set I've ever seen!

  • @shaneomacmcgee
    @shaneomacmcgee Před 8 lety +44

    We're going to have the coolest fucking Hot Wheels tracks.

  • @CabalaCicero
    @CabalaCicero Před 9 lety +264

    Once you hear it you can't unhear it.

    • @sx9i
      @sx9i Před 9 lety +55

      CabalaCicero ...motchion ...temperatczhure
      I feel so bad because it's really a great video, but I had to laugh so hard in the second half of the video after identifying the mistakes xD

    • @klnsbl
      @klnsbl Před 5 lety +1

      hear what

    • @nugut
      @nugut Před 5 lety +11

      @@klnsbl The lisp i imagine

    • @sx9i
      @sx9i Před 4 lety +9

      @@stevethea5250 what?

    • @hugekingkibblefan6980
      @hugekingkibblefan6980 Před 4 lety +3

      I was around 6 mins when I noticed it

  • @carloh.sequin1781
    @carloh.sequin1781 Před 8 lety +14

    This is one of the coolest (pun intended) demonstrations of the interaction of superconductors and magnets!

  • @RandomBros88
    @RandomBros88 Před 9 lety +279

    So now let's make F-Zero happen!! :D

    • @quenjankosky7348
      @quenjankosky7348 Před 9 lety +6

      Some Japanese dudes made Wipeout using this, and its awesome.

    • @djsonic_pr
      @djsonic_pr Před 9 lety

      ***** AWESOMEEEEEE

    • @DennisNowack
      @DennisNowack Před 9 lety +6

      Quentin Jankosky the Wipeout was fake, just look at the making-of link in their video-description. it was a great hoax, they even talk about it in their linked making-of video ;) ;)

    • @quenjankosky7348
      @quenjankosky7348 Před 9 lety

      Dennis Nowack Well, that's disappointing

    • @AlexR-ATG
      @AlexR-ATG Před 9 lety

      ***** That's been my life's dream ever since I played GX on Gamecube. I just need to get through college for now, though.

  • @-.-...---7
    @-.-...---7 Před 4 lety +37

    This was recommended to me on October 10 2019.
    I will be waiting for the next people to be recommended this video.

  • @MoRo1333
    @MoRo1333 Před 8 lety +90

    great idea to use a Mobius strip.

  • @TheRoyalInstitution
    @TheRoyalInstitution  Před 6 lety +3

    We now have German subtitles for this video. Danke unser Liebchen!

  • @Panlew2
    @Panlew2 Před 9 lety +49

    I just got an awesome idea: Space Rollercoasters

    • @nathanschubert3048
      @nathanschubert3048 Před 9 lety +1

      ***** This needs to happen within the next 100 years.

    • @marcorentap
      @marcorentap Před 9 lety

      ***** just a levitating roller coaster

    • @parahumanoid
      @parahumanoid Před 9 lety +1

      Nathan Schubert, and it's going to be 100% secure in terms of a cart leaving the track. If the repelling force is gone, it's going to snap to the surface, if I understand it right.

    • @RealStarPie
      @RealStarPie Před 9 lety

      parahumanoid Good idea, but if it does snap back to the track (in the event of superconductive failure), wouldn't the sudden stop be damaging to the riders? Unless they can make it so it would slowly come down to a rest (I couldn't tell how quickly the magnet in the video came down/slowed down). Then that would be awesome and secure!

    • @parahumanoid
      @parahumanoid Před 9 lety +1

      *****, it would be a rough halt, but probably not so sudden as to threaten the lives of passengers. While you lose the zero friction, the movement along the plane doesn't go anywhere. Imagine a very heavy metal piece landing on a metal surface while in motion. The gravity is great, but it would still keep going, producing lots of sparks. But then of course, here we don't have the same correlation between inertia and forces of attraction. Can't tell for sure.

  • @user-dl9dm1bs2l
    @user-dl9dm1bs2l Před 4 lety +157

    Its been 6 years now, any progress on this thing

    • @piletpig124
      @piletpig124 Před 4 lety +37

      Tony Grind Its been 6 days now, any progress on finding any progress

    • @flynnmoers3378
      @flynnmoers3378 Před 4 lety +26

      @@piletpig124 Its been 6 hours now, any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on this thing?

    • @oleksandrsvirin7393
      @oleksandrsvirin7393 Před 4 lety +13

      @@flynnmoers3378 it's been 4 hours now, any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress?

    • @dibbidydoo4318
      @dibbidydoo4318 Před 4 lety +10

      @@oleksandrsvirin7393 it's been 24 hours now, any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress?

    • @thederpydude2088
      @thederpydude2088 Před 4 lety +10

      @@dibbidydoo4318 It's been 10 hours now, any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress on finding any progress?

  • @Barnacules
    @Barnacules Před 9 lety +75

    Magic is real... o.O

    • @bradesagowitz
      @bradesagowitz Před 9 lety +17

      Magic is just science that we don't understand!

    • @WilcovanBeijnum
      @WilcovanBeijnum Před 9 lety +4

      Brad Sagowitz so true

    • @WilcovanBeijnum
      @WilcovanBeijnum Před 9 lety +2

      Thanks for sending me here Jerry, really interesting video!

    • @sebastiansikora3649
      @sebastiansikora3649 Před 9 lety

      👍

    • @FeroSeele
      @FeroSeele Před 9 lety

      i'm curious as to if carbon nano tubes would be able to perform a similar function if it carried an electrical charge. carbon nano tubes are so far the best means of electrical transportation that we've discovered at this current time if i'm correct (if not please educate me lol) due to the placement of the carbon atoms so if a cluster of graphene were to hold a electric charge would it be possible for it to levitate via similar methods? (for those that don't know graphene is a single sheet of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal patterns for maximum efficiency and its used as the walls of a carbon nano tube).

  • @geekgod420
    @geekgod420 Před 10 lety +95

    I can't wait until the streets are lined with super magnets and cars have superconductors instead of tires.

    • @Octanis0
      @Octanis0 Před 10 lety +21

      We would need to make the city completely out of plastic though.

    • @oscarmikefoxtrot
      @oscarmikefoxtrot Před 10 lety +4

      ***** More magnets... magnets fix all of life's problems.

    • @DattebayoAMVs
      @DattebayoAMVs Před 10 lety +55

      Yeah, and all your metal devices fly out of your pockets and smash into the road.

    • @champion3433
      @champion3433 Před 5 lety +3

      It would never happen

    • @goodoldave8680
      @goodoldave8680 Před 5 lety +2

      @@Octanis0 well there is a project that plans to replace most roads with replaceable compressed recycled plastic

  • @allyourcode
    @allyourcode Před 8 lety +1

    I've always wanted to see the super conducting levitation demo IRL (only ever saw photos). This definitely kicks it up several notches! They need to put this in museums!

  • @AbruptAvalanche
    @AbruptAvalanche Před 10 lety

    This is the best explanation I've seen so far on this phenomenon. Really cool!

  • @taters1076
    @taters1076 Před 10 lety +53

    so can you use the remaining gas from the liquid nitrogen as a propellant?

    • @kurtilein3
      @kurtilein3 Před 10 lety +28

      you mean like making the nitrogen that boils away through a nozzle giving it an engine? thats really clever and could work, thumbs up, good idea.

    • @thejokestersquad3686
      @thejokestersquad3686 Před 4 lety +1

      Well yes, but how would you supply that much nitrogen

    • @Popi-channel
      @Popi-channel Před 4 lety

      very good for enviroment, right ?

    • @andreasschmitt2307
      @andreasschmitt2307 Před 4 lety +7

      @@Popi-channel
      Nitrogen? Environment? You know that your environment is mostly nitrogen, don't you?

    • @Popi-channel
      @Popi-channel Před 4 lety

      @@andreasschmitt2307 but super conductor is very hard to make too

  • @ferociouswaves
    @ferociouswaves Před 10 lety +5

    This is just so awesome. Physics is just so awesome >w

  • @Bluegreenaqua
    @Bluegreenaqua Před 10 lety

    This makes me so happy. Scientific explanation that can be applied to real world conductors and is demonstrated with a mobius strip train track.

  • @MuhammedWajeeh786
    @MuhammedWajeeh786 Před 9 lety

    This is absolutely fascinating, and a great explanation of superconducting magnets.bringing together a levitating superconductor and a bewildering Möbius strip made from over many magnets.

  • @riparianlife97701
    @riparianlife97701 Před 10 lety +3

    The world's largest mobius strip is a roller coaster called Grand National at Blackpool. You board the train on the right track, and return on the left track, and vice versa.

    • @goatlink
      @goatlink Před 9 lety +2

      what do you mean "left track" and "right track?" its all the same track!

    • @riparianlife97701
      @riparianlife97701 Před 9 lety +3

      ***** I said "And vice versa". The station has a right and left.

  • @ceooftoxic6163
    @ceooftoxic6163 Před 4 lety +41

    2013*
    This video:*exists*
    CZcams: *NO*
    2019*
    CZcams: Oh never knew this video existed before, better tell everyone..

    • @TheRoyalInstitution
      @TheRoyalInstitution  Před 4 lety +8

      Holy mackerel, we hadn't even clocked that. They do periodically feature this video on people's homepages, but we can't spot the pattern. Last time it was in April 2019 and before that in August 2015.

    • @ceooftoxic6163
      @ceooftoxic6163 Před 4 lety +2

      The Royal Institution o god I didn’t expect you to reply me

  • @wyrmh0le
    @wyrmh0le Před 11 lety

    What a cool and fun demonstration of technology that could (and in some cases already has) bring marvelous new applications in virtually every area of life INCLUDING MEDICINE.

  • @akashdubey9132
    @akashdubey9132 Před 6 lety +1

    Hats off to you mann....!
    Superb explaination with an superb illustration

  • @lucasfc4587
    @lucasfc4587 Před 4 lety +7

    3:17 I do think the magnetic field induced should be the south, according to Lenz’s Law, otherwise the created North Pole would attract the South Pole, accelerating the magnet

  • @michaelmarzolf6539
    @michaelmarzolf6539 Před 7 lety +3

    fantastic -- thank you :-) my kids are going to love seeing this :-)

  • @daalfredLP
    @daalfredLP Před 8 lety

    This is honestly amongst the coolest things i've ever seen.

  • @ColonelBumButt
    @ColonelBumButt Před 11 lety +2

    Very informative. The explanation of the currents made perfect sense and I can say I fully understand it now. Thanks!

  • @IncroyablesExperiences
    @IncroyablesExperiences Před 7 lety +17

    You said that the magnet could be lock in place because there is no resistance, but if the resistance is a true 0,0000... Ohm, why can we revome and place the magnet without an infinite force due to infinite Eddy currents ? The magnet is not definitively 'stuck' in place ?
    I am wordering for years !

    • @JensenPlaysMC
      @JensenPlaysMC Před 3 lety +2

      have u found an answer mate?im wondering the same thing. i think its something to do with "flux pinning/qauntum locking" see in the video he "sets" the conductor to constantly float at that height

    • @JensenPlaysMC
      @JensenPlaysMC Před 3 lety +3

      induced current is limited by the induced emf caused by a change in flux. so a max force it can take is dependant of change in flux. so when that threshold is met it cannot stay put

    • @danieleronchetti1314
      @danieleronchetti1314 Před 2 lety +1

      Correct me if I'm wrong: you are wondering how it is possible to easily move the superconductor (SC) inside a magnetic field while having 0 resistence (R). This because a 0 R conductor (perfect conductor) moved in an external magnetic field would generate infinite eddy currents.
      I would takle this from two sides:
      First, the 0 R condition (also called perfect conductor) is not sufficient for infinite eddy current as @Jensen is suggesting. With 0 R you actually have persistent current, meaning that a current generated inside the perfect conductor will never cease to exist, but the intensity of this current will never be infinite. You would need an infinite change of flux to induce an infinite current, which you can see is impossible. Otherwise if a finite change in flux would generate an infinite current this would solve the energetic hunger problem.
      On the other side the SC is NOT a just magnet, it is way more than that. A SC shows the Meissner effect, namely NO magnetic flux can enter the SC. Similarly to how NO electric field is present inside a conductor (in static condition). And how can this happen? We can think that the SC generates a magnetic field such that the total magnetic field inside itself will be zero. Therefore when you move the SC this will modify the field that is generating and when you leave it the new field configuration will again be such that the internal field is zero. In this way you can see that there happen no change in the magnetic field flux inside the superconductor, because the field inside has always been zero, this implies no eddy currents.
      Actually there are also surface effects happening which complicate the picture, but the final result is similar.
      I hope that this intuitive picture would help you!!!

    • @IncroyablesExperiences
      @IncroyablesExperiences Před 2 lety

      @@danieleronchetti1314 Thanks, in fact it's not due to eddy currents so the explanation was misleading. It's due to Meissner effect that is a specific case with 0 resistance.

    • @jimmym2719
      @jimmym2719 Před 2 lety

      Awesome work bro👍..thanks for sharing ❤️

  • @mc-cricket
    @mc-cricket Před 4 lety +4

    See you again soon when CZcams algorithm brings us here again!

  • @photopawn37
    @photopawn37 Před 8 lety +1

    I never understood how SC levitation works until I saw this video. Great explanation! I thought it was some kind of complex quantum thingamabob (it is to some extent) and I never even thought about Induction. Its so simple!

  • @nootkpr
    @nootkpr Před 9 lety

    thank you, this video has helped so much with understanding the principle behind EDS in MagLev systems for a presentation I am creating.

  • @grellsutcliff800
    @grellsutcliff800 Před 9 lety +98

    It's 2015. Let's make floating cars.

    • @Helvanic
      @Helvanic Před 9 lety +5

      For this we need ambiant temperature supra conductors. The guy who finds how to make one is the next richest man on earth.

    • @degiguess
      @degiguess Před 9 lety +2

      Helvanic its super conductor not supra conductor

    • @Helvanic
      @Helvanic Před 9 lety +1

      I don't know the english term, in french we talk about "supraconductivité" so i assumed it was the same in english.

    • @maxo2097
      @maxo2097 Před 9 lety +3

      Skel etor In french (and possibly other latin languages) it's "supraconducteur", hence the mistake.

    • @TheVespafan
      @TheVespafan Před 9 lety +1

      maxo2097 in German it's "supraleitend"

  • @My_Names_Not_Nigel
    @My_Names_Not_Nigel Před 9 lety +26

    Can you push it once and stop fucking touching it for a second? I want to see how far it will go.

    • @KanishkSingh07
      @KanishkSingh07 Před 9 lety +2

      Nigel P. IKR?

    • @PrettyBatGames
      @PrettyBatGames Před 9 lety +4

      Nigel P. That's what she said :D

    • @MyQiman
      @MyQiman Před 9 lety +3

      Nigel P.because the magnetic track is not flat, the momentum it starts out with will be loss over the course of going around. kind of like roller coasters.

    • @My_Names_Not_Nigel
      @My_Names_Not_Nigel Před 9 lety +12

      Obviously. I want to observe that happen but I can't because he keeps touching it before it stops.

    • @Ildarioon
      @Ildarioon Před 9 lety +1

      qiman wang Nope, the loss of momentum on a flat track would be about the same, because the loss of energy in the case of a rollercoaster is mainly friction with the ground, here, you only have friction with the air, both on a flat track and on this track, and the friction is almost the same.

  • @TheRoyalInstitution
    @TheRoyalInstitution  Před 10 lety +2

    It's true - but someone has to capture Andy's struggle.

  • @moogybannahilstopaflingon6803

    Awesome video...a very good explanation of how a superconductor works...!

  • @Hawokki
    @Hawokki Před 9 lety +3

    How can someone dislike this? Probably by accident

  • @Wafflical
    @Wafflical Před 10 lety +8

    You know what would _really_ change the world? Hoverboards.

    • @Bunglay
      @Bunglay Před 10 lety +2

      John Smith and a bunch of liquid Nitrogen

    • @Wafflical
      @Wafflical Před 10 lety +1

      Yeah, it's a bit unrealistic without millions of magnets under our feet and a really super superconductuctor, but it would at least be a good way to explain hoverboards in science fiction.

    • @themightycaolf6549
      @themightycaolf6549 Před 5 lety

      Responding from the future. They certainly have changed the world, but they suck.

  • @katsushikai7796
    @katsushikai7796 Před 8 lety

    This is really cool. I got to try it once at a science museum. Loved it!

  • @Psylent
    @Psylent Před 8 lety

    Brilliant, marvelous! I'm thoroughly entertained and intrigued

  • @olfmombach260
    @olfmombach260 Před 8 lety +9

    The marble run for scientists :D

  • @joeytje50
    @joeytje50 Před 10 lety +5

    I've got 2 ideas about this:
    First: Can you use this to set up a kind of REALLY long lasting newton's cradle, by just putting a bunch of these on a sloped track (basically a parabolic track where the magnets could move back and forth, pushing each other via magnetic repulsion? If you'd do that in a vacuum, that would mean they would continue on until all the kinetic energy is transferred to heat via induction in the neodymium magnets. I could imagine it'd take REALLY long for that kind of Newton's cradle to stop
    And the second: Can't you make something like this with a super strong magnet, with a weaker magnet attached to that, with their poles facing each other? Of course that'd be if you would make sure they are attached really strongly. If you'd put a magnet on top of that, it would be attracted by the strong magnet when far away, but repelled by the weak one when close by. So to illustrate, with lowercase representing weak and uppercase representing strong poles, it would basically be this: (n-s) (s-n N-S). The first magnet wouldn't wanna flip around to face the weak magnet, because it'd then face the wrong way for the strong magnet, but it can't come closer to the weaker magnet because it's repelled by it. I'd imagine there could be a situation where the ratios are exactly right and you could levitate something with that, right?

    • @isodoublet
      @isodoublet Před 10 lety +6

      There exists something called Earnshaw's theorem. It's a mathematical statement that pertains both to electrostatics and magnetostatics, and the gist of it is that you can never make up a distribution of charges or magnets that will allow a test charge/magnetic dipole to remain in stable equilibrium. Your arrangement, for instance, would only work in 1 dimension, like if you put the magnets in a pvc tube. The minute you allow sideways motion it becomes unstable and they all stick together.

  • @Zomiecrafter
    @Zomiecrafter Před 11 lety

    You've gone far viheart iv Been with you since first 100 subs and first video

  • @shikhanshu
    @shikhanshu Před 9 lety

    What awesome explanation! Thank you for enriching my knowledge!

  • @ExgaGaming
    @ExgaGaming Před 10 lety +6

    Vehicles of the future!

  • @mikezaq1
    @mikezaq1 Před 10 lety +6

    Random thought could you redesign one of the cooling magnet holders in such a way that nitrogen shoots out a small hole on one end propelling it forward? It would be cool if it were self propelled down the track!

    • @luicat9034
      @luicat9034 Před 5 lety

      I'm pretty convinced that a 3D-printed shell (or "boat") could seal the liquid nitrogen and hold the superconductor just well. With this in mind, I'm even looking forward to making one for myself.

  • @technomach9045
    @technomach9045 Před 7 lety +1

    Best model train track I've seen yet

  • @bruinflight1
    @bruinflight1 Před 8 lety

    That is BADASS! I LOVE magnets and superconductors!

  • @flowerpower111
    @flowerpower111 Před 9 lety +38

    So to get this straight: Outer space is cold enough to cause super-conduction correct?

    • @flowerpower111
      @flowerpower111 Před 9 lety +1

      ***** Good point haha. I guess there would be a way to work around that though.

    • @philaudiostrike8746
      @philaudiostrike8746 Před 9 lety +1

      Bone Alias I wounder if they have a Möbius strip testing superconductors on one of the space stations at the moment.

    • @Mordewolt
      @Mordewolt Před 9 lety +20

      In space you aren't "cooling", in space you can't reliably use enviroinment matter to establish a temperatural equilibrium, because there is barely any enviroinment matter.
      So if you're cooling - space matter can't warm you and if you're heating, space can't cool you.
      You have only 2 ways to share thermal energy - light emitting (and absorbing) and phisical contact. On the planet surfaces, second way is largely inflated due to you always being in contact with enviroinment matter (air, water, soil), in space there is none of it (virtually none of it) so in space to cool down you have to emit energy.
      Or so is my understanding of it, there are good reads on this, probably, that are worded better and have more recent facts than what's in my posession, so i recommend checking those.

    • @ChemicalRefugee
      @ChemicalRefugee Před 9 lety +6

      *****
      Superconductivity does not happen due to 'cooling' it happens at a certain temperature range. Cooling (the loss of thermal energy) is irrelevant. Now, in space (in a shadow with no infrared hitting an object to warm it) the basic temp is minus 455 degrees Fahrenheit (about 2.7 Kelvin). Things in space are subject to extremes of temperature.
      Here on the earth we use liquid nitrogen to get superconductors to work, because it is the cheepest method we have (liquid nitrogen is cheaper than beer). On the other hand, in space, in a shadow, there is no thermal energy past background (again - 2.7 Kelvin). There is no atmosphere in space to retain or to conduct or retain heat.
      A thermocouple can generate electricity quite well in space, because all it takes is an object with the cold of space on one side and the heat on the other side... with a thermocouple running through it. A lens or a set of mirrors on one side (the hot one) makes it easier ot get it HOT on the sun-ward side, given the extreme cold of space on the other side.

    • @Mordewolt
      @Mordewolt Před 9 lety

      ChemicalRefugee I thought magnetic field provides current when magnets pass near each other. And current is supposed to heat the conductor.
      How do you get that heat off of the magnet?

  • @imthatkindofbloke2892
    @imthatkindofbloke2892 Před 10 lety +5

    Yeahhhh, I need to make that! :D

  • @567890dan
    @567890dan Před 10 lety +2

    I love mobius strips
    One time I made one so large that I was able to cut it 6 times before it got too thin
    This made my day

  • @HackIt
    @HackIt Před 4 lety

    The train is moving so smoothly because it has no resistance except air drag which is very low in this case.
    It's brilliant. First time I've seen something like this. Just amazed.

  • @themoonwalkingbear3581
    @themoonwalkingbear3581 Před 10 lety +7

    Super cool!

    • @MrFlytoskyyy2
      @MrFlytoskyyy2 Před 10 lety +3

      Not sure if the pun was intended

    • @Wafflical
      @Wafflical Před 10 lety

      MrFlytoskyyy2 I don't think anyone would actually comment that not as a pun.

    • @125jesusfreak
      @125jesusfreak Před 10 lety

      pun intended

  • @ChrisBandyJazz
    @ChrisBandyJazz Před 8 lety +90

    Can you do one on a Klein bottle?

    • @xtevetyler5332
      @xtevetyler5332 Před 8 lety +30

      i had a klein bottle of wine still havent drunk it all yet.

    • @ChrisBandyJazz
      @ChrisBandyJazz Před 8 lety +7

      +Xteve Tyler Lol it might be another dimension before you can drink it broseph

    • @crispynugget3616
      @crispynugget3616 Před 8 lety +1

      woah............... that's mind blowing to see that happen in a klein bottle..... im scared of what would happen....

    • @PineaFan
      @PineaFan Před 6 lety +2

      Oh it's fine, it only need 4 spacial dimensions

    • @stephenhruby8763
      @stephenhruby8763 Před 5 lety +2

      404 error dimension not found

  • @LewisLoflin
    @LewisLoflin Před 8 lety +2

    Great work.

  • @jackpullen3820
    @jackpullen3820 Před 8 lety

    Thank you, I've got a few of these magnets.I love R.I.for all the wonderful knowledge they share.Just about finished "shadows of the Mind " by Rodger Penrose.

  • @nikolaaskaas
    @nikolaaskaas Před 7 lety +58

    222,222 subscribers. It would be a shame if something were to happen to that number..

    • @TheRoyalInstitution
      @TheRoyalInstitution  Před 7 lety +84

      If you were the one that spoiled the beautiful roundness of that number by pushing it up to 222,223, we forgive you.

    • @matt-iv1so
      @matt-iv1so Před 7 lety +1

      The Royal Institution

  • @RubSomefastOnIt
    @RubSomefastOnIt Před 10 lety +32

    you should have put a little battery powered propeller on it.

    • @MiguelDiaz4469
      @MiguelDiaz4469 Před 10 lety +5

      The nitrogen would freeze it in place and it won't propel.

    • @RubSomefastOnIt
      @RubSomefastOnIt Před 10 lety +5

      putting it on the outside of The foam box would be more the enough insulation . or a couple of small struts . Not that hard of a problem to solve...

    • @MiguelDiaz4469
      @MiguelDiaz4469 Před 10 lety +4

      Yea, that would work I suppose. I wonder if we will ever make a superconductor without the need for cumbersome nitrogen.

    • @JoshuaHerbison_this_is_my_URL
      @JoshuaHerbison_this_is_my_URL Před 10 lety +15

      The bigger problem is having the electric motor that close to the magnets.

    • @CazBarry
      @CazBarry Před 10 lety +9

      Well, the nitrogen was evaporating and expanding; guiding this though a small jet would propel the boaty-thing...

  • @NuisanceMan
    @NuisanceMan Před 6 lety

    Not only would it change the world, it would make one hell of an amusement park ride.

  • @Durrpadil
    @Durrpadil Před 9 lety

    Thanks for explaining this. I've been searching around as to why this occurs.

  • @dylanadams3139
    @dylanadams3139 Před 4 lety +3

    Does this model have to be extremely cold in relation to one another or could, theoretically, you put it on Pluto and still have it work

    • @thejokestersquad3686
      @thejokestersquad3686 Před 4 lety

      @Sthaman Sinha but....heat is temperature is it not?

    • @phoebedraper3046
      @phoebedraper3046 Před 4 lety

      The Jokester Squad Heat is the total kinetic energy of particles in a substance while temperature is the average kinetic energy. an example i found was that if you have a small cup of water and a bathtub of water at the same temperature, the bathtub would have more heat energy because there are a larger number of particles moving around.
      Also temp. is measured in kelvins while heat is in joules

  • @benzel5659
    @benzel5659 Před 8 lety +30

    This offends common sense. I love it

  • @eleSDSU
    @eleSDSU Před 10 lety

    Best toy ever. Thanks so much for this video, just loved it

  • @Aman-tf8bt
    @Aman-tf8bt Před 6 lety

    that is really awesome stuff hats off to this video!!

  • @iknowsstuff
    @iknowsstuff Před 10 lety +8

    So if you were to cool everything down and put it in space somewhere very cold like behind the moon, it would keep going for a seriously long time !!

    • @Zamsky39
      @Zamsky39 Před 10 lety +4

      Behind the Moon the Sun is shining too. It is called dark side because we cannot see it, however the Sun can and heats it up to about +150 degrees celsius.

    • @Zamsky39
      @Zamsky39 Před 10 lety +1

      But, man, see that dark side of the moon refers to the fact that we cannot see it, as the Moon does not rotate relatively to Earth. However, it does not mean, that sun does not shine there, it does, so in terms of temperature, dark side of the moon is same as the side which we can see.
      www.moonconnection.com/moon-same-side.phtml

    • @Zamsky39
      @Zamsky39 Před 10 lety +7

      There is no such side of the Moon where Sun is permanently not shining.

    • @Saxshoe
      @Saxshoe Před 10 lety

      Gravity may not be strong enough on the Moon for this to work.

    • @Zamsky39
      @Zamsky39 Před 10 lety +1

      6 times weaker than here on Earth I think it is not that bad.

  • @JPresto
    @JPresto Před 10 lety +3

    Was anyone else thinking of F-Zero during this video?

  • @janrezab
    @janrezab Před 10 lety

    Amazing job with this, keep it up!!!

  • @daymeinvines1699
    @daymeinvines1699 Před 9 lety

    The idea of having a superconductor that reaches it's critical temperature at room temperature or higher, could be revolutionary.

  • @gamerN77
    @gamerN77 Před 9 lety +10

    Couldn't this technology (refined of course) be used for trains? Or do those super-fast-ones already work like that?

    • @reptilevlogs5589
      @reptilevlogs5589 Před 9 lety +1

      It could be yeah. And the fact that there was is no friction is even better as you can do extremely fast like hundreds if not thousands of MPH. Of course you would have to take into account g-forces.

    • @sichosi
      @sichosi Před 9 lety +15

      overTIMe the current trains are maglev, which use alternate magnets to both attract and repel the train, effectively hovering it in the right place, whereas the superconductor resists movement away and towards the magnets holding the charge, again locking it in place. So quite similar, but still different :)

    • @gamerN77
      @gamerN77 Před 9 lety

      sichosi Thanks for the info. :)

    • @Smithy0013
      @Smithy0013 Před 9 lety +2

      overTIMe You would also have to keep the train at very very cold temperatures. Which is a problem. If you could somehow levitate without needing ridiculously cold temperatures, that would be great for mag lev technology

    • @Ddub1083
      @Ddub1083 Před 9 lety

      Smithy0013 to be fair high temp superconductors make it possible to get superconductivity at to "freakin cold" temperatures rather than ridiculously cold temps.

  • @gckbowers411
    @gckbowers411 Před 10 lety +9

    So that's how it works in Mario Kart 8.

  • @mazzpsykoziz
    @mazzpsykoziz Před 8 lety

    I like this guys slight lisp, it adds a personal touch to his speech.

  • @xtevetyler5332
    @xtevetyler5332 Před 8 lety

    two of them one underneath the other at the same time , grown up scalextric god worth doing the degree just to play with this kit and others, a helix mobius trackway the possibilities are endless

  • @WeeWeeJumbo
    @WeeWeeJumbo Před 8 lety +5

    Neodymium magnets can get so strong that they're dangerous. These things can shatter your fingers, shred through the palm of your hand

    • @crispynugget3616
      @crispynugget3616 Před 8 lety +2

      well, if you want it to be scarier, they're so strong that there is a case of someone being stuck to one because of a metal implant and it destroyed the skin between the implant and the magnet.

    • @WeeWeeJumbo
      @WeeWeeJumbo Před 8 lety +1

      jared anderson och!

  • @kokolakGaming
    @kokolakGaming Před 8 lety +3

    1:22 Tsrack

  • @christopher5151
    @christopher5151 Před 9 lety

    i like the Mobi, lots of fan belts are made in this design to extend life expectancy of the material being worn down

  • @fabiancesar8658
    @fabiancesar8658 Před 10 lety

    THIS IS AMAZING MAN. YOU ARE AMAZING.

  • @michaelangeloparkinson5055
    @michaelangeloparkinson5055 Před 9 lety +15

    Inspiration for Mario kart 8 :D

    • @Legoguylol4ever
      @Legoguylol4ever Před 9 lety +2

      Michaelangelo Parkingman So the Kart wheels are liquid nitrogen cooled superconductors, and there's a ferrous material mixed into the roadbed? That makes a lot more sense than the "hovercraft spinning wheels" thing going on in MK8.

    • @michaelangeloparkinson5055
      @michaelangeloparkinson5055 Před 9 lety

      Legoguylol4ever from playing the game myself and seeing the size of the wheels, it does make more sense. Those wheels have to spin hella fast to even generate enough lift for the karts

    • @Sarge92
      @Sarge92 Před 9 lety

      Michaelangelo Parkinson umm yeah no sony beat you to it with the wipeout series thish is pretty much exactly this

  • @EpicPaperclip
    @EpicPaperclip Před 8 lety +28

    Why is nobody screaming HOVERBOARD!!!!

    • @Anthraxxx999
      @Anthraxxx999 Před 8 lety +4

      +EpicPaperclip Search for the hoverboard made by Lexus. It's already been done

    • @ewdlop1
      @ewdlop1 Před 8 lety

      +Linken I doubt that thing can let you roll on your home ceiling upside down

    • @rotorblade9508
      @rotorblade9508 Před 8 lety

      It can be done using magnets and normal conductors but they are stable. Superconductors stabilize themselves so it makes things easier.

    • @crispynugget3616
      @crispynugget3616 Před 8 lety +3

      well for it to work, the ENTIRE surface of the planet would have to be made of neodimiyum.... that's not exactly the easiest thing to do. even if you simplify it, paving the entire city streets and sidewalks with neodimiyum isn't easy either...

    • @-_Nuke_-
      @-_Nuke_- Před 7 lety

      FUCK YEAH!

  • @ghazanfaramin
    @ghazanfaramin Před 10 lety

    love his work

  • @tallmarn8927
    @tallmarn8927 Před 11 lety

    What is up with you ppl with all the negative comments and insults, channels like this are in existence to help spread knowledge and understanding and help expand the minds of those less fortunate, not to waste time belittling each other and making inferrences about others' questionable lineage, if that's your attitude then maybe you yourself aren't as smart as you think.

  • @lalalasuper1
    @lalalasuper1 Před 10 lety +3

    is this what they call quantum levitating? or is that different.

  • @OrniasDMF
    @OrniasDMF Před 11 měsíci +2

    I have news

  • @mazenelgabalawy3966
    @mazenelgabalawy3966 Před 7 lety

    I could watch this train go all day.

  • @tubeisace
    @tubeisace Před 9 lety

    That was fascinating!

  • @n00ber420
    @n00ber420 Před 10 lety +5

    lost me at "i wanted to show you"

  • @Bein_Ian
    @Bein_Ian Před 7 lety +7

    I've never heard a British accent with a lisp. Interesting.

    • @katzen3314
      @katzen3314 Před 7 lety +1

      Really? I guess I'm surprised because I'm British lol.

    • @Bein_Ian
      @Bein_Ian Před 7 lety

      Leondre Brooklyn Yeah. I'm from the Chicagoland area so I never hear British accents as it is.

    • @Slarti
      @Slarti Před 6 lety

      Then you have not sampled great British poetry:
      The god of war rode out one day
      upon a handsome filly,
      "I'm Thor!" he cried
      the horse replied
      "You forgot your thaddle thilly!"

  • @sposada2000
    @sposada2000 Před 6 lety

    Great experiment!

  • @bonob0123
    @bonob0123 Před 7 lety

    i don't exactly know why but this made me so happy.

  • @markissboi3583
    @markissboi3583 Před 5 lety +3

    Nitrogen is safer with no gloves & your warm hand dispels it fast but if u spill on a glove it freezes on your hand 😳🔦🐱‍🐉fook
    ive watched many videos of people pouring nitrogen on there hands & didnt do chit :) BUT you dont hold your hand in it
    Nitrogen is a bit like fire like > pass your hand over a flame as u can with nitrogen - They both burn but depends what you do 🤪👉 🤵😲

  • @CuthbertNibbles
    @CuthbertNibbles Před 9 lety +31

    Clearly fake. Watch at 8:32, you can see a white border around the "hovering" boat.

  • @15MrBoO88
    @15MrBoO88 Před 9 lety

    This is eyes opening!

  • @noamw3841
    @noamw3841 Před 7 lety

    I can play with this toy forever, so facinating

  • @APeXDiablo
    @APeXDiablo Před 10 lety +16

    Juggalos, take notes.

    • @ethanfeatherston6698
      @ethanfeatherston6698 Před 10 lety +1

      But they don't want to listen to a scientist.

    • @TheJUGGALO1113
      @TheJUGGALO1113 Před 9 lety +2

      Ethan Featherston those motherfuckers lyin and gettin me pissed

  • @TheAndroia
    @TheAndroia Před 7 lety +3

    Do you see that little Red box beneath the title of this video? You know the one that says SUBSCRIBE? I certainly see it. And that's the button that I click when I subscribe. I chose to watch this video because of my interest in the Mobius Strip. Really wanted to see what you had to say and do. But your request for my subscription at the lower left corner and the box at the top with the elusive X so I can't get it off screen blocks out things. I know you have a lot of subscribers already, so obviously it doesn't bother them, but I'm one of those 'visual' type people. Can't stand distractions. I know. It's a personal problem -- which I deal with by not subscribing because I'm afraid that all of your videos are covered up in requests. Seriously. Not a troll I don't live under a bridge. But now I've got to go to the Library and see what I can find THERE on the subject. If the blocks were just put someplace so we could X them out after being made aware there's more to see, that would be so helpful.

    • @TheRoyalInstitution
      @TheRoyalInstitution  Před 7 lety +5

      You make a reasonable point. We've replaced the old annotations with CZcams's updated and less intrusive 'cards', so the hopefully you'll be able to enjoy the video in all its glory, unhindered by those clumsy boxes now :) Thanks for watching!

    • @TheAndroia
      @TheAndroia Před 7 lety +1

      The Royal Institution Thank you for your polite response to what I now think was a curt suggestion. I plan to revisit your video and enjoy it with relish. Like the girl with two left feet who so wants to be a dancer, I am a non-mathematic person who so wants to understand the world of physics and all things science. And because of some silly sci-fi book I read as a kid the Mobius strip has always fascinated me. I love science fiction and when I read it I like to be able to distinguish the science from the fiction. Thank you for fixing the boxes.

  • @user47033
    @user47033 Před 9 lety +1

    "Warning! This strip contains very powerful magnets. Avoid them." *opening scene guy fondling magnets *

  • @corpusien
    @corpusien Před 8 lety

    Thanks! Very interesting and surely a part of our future in transportation solutions :-)