(Left) A cryostat containing the superconducting solenoid magnet used for magnetic levitation experiments. The solenoid is kept at a temperature of 4 Kelvin (-269 Celsius). (Right) Cross-section diagram showing the water droplet levitating inside the bore in the magnet, and the positions of the electrodes used to apply the current used to spin the droplet.


Image credit: Hill and Eaves.

By magnetically levitating water droplets, and using a “liquid electric motor” technique to spin them, researchers can investigate how the droplets change shape. Rather than being just a curious experiment, the results could provide insights into systems that cannot be controlled in the laboratory, such as black holes and atomic nuclei.

via [Physorg]

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