From Mining to Space Exploration - the advantages of Magnetic Levitation

At the UK's University of Nottingham physicists are levitating water!

While that sounds entertaining, if not particularly practical, the applications of Magnetic Levitation could have huge impact on industries that are, literally, worlds apart.

Plant biologists working in space exploration are keen to develop plants for use as food on long voyages and with a view to being able to grow them in reduced gravity. Back down to earth and engineers in the mining industry are constantly looking for new ways to access rare minerals. For both groups the answer may lie with the University of Nottingham's research into Magnetic Levitation.

Even materials normally regarded as non magnetic, such as water, plastic or oils, will become weakly magnetised in a powerful magnetic field. By varying this field the magnetic force can be powerful enough to counteract earth's gravity, making it possible to conduct zero gravity experiments without the cost of going into space, or to "float" minerals according to their different densities giving easier access to increasingly rare precious materials.