--- title: "Scientists Debut Hovering “Antigravity” Device" description: "In an experiment, a team of scientists have created a levitating fluid that allows a tiny boat to float both on top of it — and below it." date: "2020-09-03" modified: "2020-09-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-debut-hovering-antigravity-device" categories: - "Computing" - "Devices" - "Robots and Machines" tags: - "gravity" - "gravity defying" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Debut Hovering “Antigravity” Device ![In an experiment, a team of scientists have created a levitating fluid that allows a tiny boat to float both on top of it — and below it.]() *\Image: Fort et al.\* ## Defying Gravity In a new experiment, a team of French scientists created a levitating fluid that allows a tiny boat to float both on top of it — and another below it, seemingly flipping gravity on its head. "That was a fun experiment," Emmanuel Fort, professor at ESPCI Paris and co-author of [a paper]() about the project published today in the journal *Nature,* [told *The New York Times*]() . "Everything worked well. And I’m still amazed by the results." ## Like Flipping a Switch To create the effect, the team used vibrations, cycling 100 times a second, causing a mixture of glycerol and silicon oil, both thicker than water, to be suspended over a cushion of air. The team managed to "levitate" almost half a quart of liquid this way. The experiment however created a far more unusual effect. Since the pocket of air underneath is denser, an object ends up being pushed into the levitating liquid from below — an effect the *Times* called "seemingly impossible." It's a delicate balance. "If you move the boat down in the air it will fall, and if you move it up, it will go up to the interface," Emmanuel Fort, co-author, [told *The Guardian*](). "The whole trick is not only to make the situation possible in the first place, but to stabilize the equilibrium." ## Up is Down The team claims their extraordinary invention could have plenty of use cases, from keeping gases suspended in fluids for industrial purposes, such as in mineral processing and waste-water treatment. But as of right now, it's not much more than a fun experiment. "People say it’s like the scene in 'Pirates of the Caribbean' when the boat floats upside down," Fort told *The Guardian*. "It’s counterintuitive. It gets people talking about science fiction and fantasy and that is very nice." **READ MORE:** [Up Is Down in This Fun Physics Experiment]() \[*The New York Times*\] ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()