Do Anti-Gravity Machines Exist?

Transcript

According to rumor, someone built an anti-gravity device, a machine that could nullify gravity at the push of a button. Of course, Newton tells us that anything with mass attracts everything else, and Earth's massive pole keeps objects firmly grounded. [music] To test the claim, the Mythbusters tried three different setups. First, Carrie used a levitation gyroscope. Although the top seemed to hover, the effect came from magnetic forces, [music] not gravity cancellation.

Next, Grant brought in a triangular device powered by 30,000 volts. When activated, it did indeed lift off the table. But further analysis showed this wasn't anti-gravity. The high voltage ionized the air, and the ions were pushed toward the foil beneath, creating an ion wind that lifted the triangle. When tested in a vacuum, the effect vanished because there was no air to ionize.

For the final attempt, the team tried to replicate the legendary Hamill generator said to contain three cones that vibrate inside a magnetic field to produce a special electrogravitic field. The device was carefully assembled, but even the most sensitive gravimeter detected no change in gravity. Conclusion: Although some devices appeared to float, their behavior was explained by magnetic or ionic propulsion. Gravity was never actually cancelled. The anti-gravity myth was busted.