Human magnet

[Cueshark]

Can someone explain how he's doing it.

I read that article and it mentioned him being able to attach a tv to himself :S

 

[Vim Razz]

Skin that's just oily and greasy enough to make it sticky enough that when you place a flat, smooth object on it, the object wont slide off -- a combination of friction and suction. He does lean back a bit as well. (If the center of gravity is too far out, the object will fall off of course.)

Edit: spelling and such. Also remember that with the TV the center of gravity is just behind the screen. The larger bulk of the case extends well out in front of his body, but that portion is rarely particularly heavy.

Edit 2: And if he had chest hair this demo wouldn't work, in case you feel like trying it.

 

[sthomson]

Thank you for responding coherently and with no silly aphorisms.

You "say" that animal magnetism has nothing to do with "real" magnetism, but I don't see anything that supports that, only your opinion.

Why say "magnetism" if you don't mean it?

I'm a new member, so I don't know if I can post links yet, but I will try. The wikipedia page on animal magnetism (found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_magnetism) specifically states that the term animal magnetism has nothing to do with ferromagnetism, which is the ability of metals to attract other metals. The article cites the leading work on the subject, although any library should have a suitable reference book, if you don't trust Wikipedia.

What other force could possibly attract people, anyway?

I don't quite know what you mean. We're discussing the alleged ability of humans to attract ferromagnetic metals through some sort of human organ that produces a strong magnetic field. The subject of human attraction to another human is something completely different.

Now, on the "highly technical" issue of bronze versus iron versus lead versus whatever, I am sure that there is an answer to this conundrum. Maybe the bronze was sitting out in the open. Maybe the magnetic eyes of early cavemen (and women) were sensitive to bronze. Just because the bronze of TODAY is not supposedly magnetic, how do we know that the bronze that our forefathers used was not???? Answer that one, cause you were not there, and neither was I.

To argue that bronze used to be magnetic, but somehow changed to become not magnetic, demonstrates a complete lack of knowelege about metallurgy and mining science. Of course, I wasn't alive during any time period before this one, but thankfully scientists can depend on written histories and achaological records when they determine how earlier civilizations developed mining and smelting techniques. They didn't have to guess, like you seem to do. I admit that I don't know much about how iron was mined in the early ages (except for the fact that in general, iron ore sources are located close to the surface of the earth, and can be mined relatively easily with surface mining techniques), but if I were as interested as you seem to be, I would go to my local library and check out a book on the History of Mining.

And just because bronze exists does not mean that iron was not more important. Everybody knows iron is better anyway. Just because rats exist does not mean goats do not exist. I don't see the point frankly.

My point was that humans didn't need some sort of sixth "magnetic sense" to find iron. We were perfectly capable of finding other ores that weren't magnetic, so why would iron be any different? Copper is another non-ferromagnetic metal that was mined in many places before iron was.

Now on your quibbling over caves. Well, I happen to know that people lived in caves for a long time, hundreds of years maybe. So, who's to say? Have you visited the caves where people lived? In Turkey, people still live in caves. In fact, I have heard most of the population lives in caves at this very day, a protection against earthquakes which plague Asia Minor this millinium.

I was under the impression that "cave men" popularly refers to Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons, and homo sapiens from the Paliolithic age (look, another time period that I didn't live through, but which I can learn about through archaological records!) If you'd like to redefine "cave-men" to be "any civilization inhabiting caves," then it becomes quite a meaningless definition. In fact, modern archaologists believe that even Neanderthals used caves primarily for religious ceremonies or as temporary shelters.

As the pilot said to the politician, don't assume you are up when you could be down!

Oops, not completely aphorism-free! I assume that here, you are the pilot and I am the politician!

 

[dudalb]

Here is the only Human (Homo Superior species) who has real magentic powers.

Sorry,just can't resist it.......

 

[fuelair]

Thank you for responding coherently and with no silly aphorisms.



I'm a new member, so I don't know if I can post links yet, but I will try. The wikipedia page on animal magnetism (found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_magnetism) specifically states that the term animal magnetism has nothing to do with ferromagnetism, which is the ability of metals to attract other metals. The article cites the leading work on the subject, although any library should have a suitable reference book, if you don't trust Wikipedia.



I don't quite know what you mean. We're discussing the alleged ability of humans to attract ferromagnetic metals through some sort of human organ that produces a strong magnetic field. The subject of human attraction to another human is something completely different.



To argue that bronze used to be magnetic, but somehow changed to become not magnetic, demonstrates a complete lack of knowelege about metallurgy and mining science. Of course, I wasn't alive during any time period before this one, but thankfully scientists can depend on written histories and achaological records when they determine how earlier civilizations developed mining and smelting techniques. They didn't have to guess, like you seem to do. I admit that I don't know much about how iron was mined in the early ages (except for the fact that in general, iron ore sources are located close to the surface of the earth, and can be mined relatively easily with surface mining techniques), but if I were as interested as you seem to be, I would go to my local library and check out a book on the History of Mining.



My point was that humans didn't need some sort of sixth "magnetic sense" to find iron. We were perfectly capable of finding other ores that weren't magnetic, so why would iron be any different? Copper is another non-ferromagnetic metal that was mined in many places before iron was.



I was under the impression that "cave men" popularly refers to Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons, and homo sapiens from the Paliolithic age (look, another time period that I didn't live through, but which I can learn about through archaological records!) If you'd like to redefine "cave-men" to be "any civilization inhabiting caves," then it becomes quite a meaningless definition. In fact, modern archaologists believe that even Neanderthals used caves primarily for religious ceremonies or as temporary shelters.



Oops, not completely aphorism-free! I assume that here, you are the pilot and I am the politician!

Being as you are new here (welcome in - you sound like one of us good-guys -) I should mention that with the post you just responded to, Is proved itself to be a Troll. We have an expression here "Please don't feed the trolls!" which many of us overlook. For IS, I will not be overlooking it afte this. Enjoy and have a great time in here!!!

 

[Cuddles]

NITPICK ALERT!!!

Magnetite structures similar to those used by some animals, birds, fish, insects, and bacteria to detect the orientation of magnetic fields are now known to be common in human brain tissue, having been discovered in 1992. They do, however, seem to be as useless in most species (including ours) as male nipples.

Try Googling "human brain magnetite" for some kicks.

Interestingly, they are quite possibly useless even in species where they were thought to be useful, such as pigeons. Studies which tested the dependence of pigeon homing ability on smell showed that if you stop pigeons smelling (by severing the olfactory nerve), they can't find their way home. Of course, it's possible that they use a combination of magnetism and other senses and that disrupting one ruins the whole thing, but it does raise some questions about the role of magnetism in animals. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that some bacteria align themselves with magnetic fields, so biological systems can certainly be influenced by magnets.

 

[sthomson]

Being as you are new here (welcome in - you sound like one of us good-guys -) I should mention that with the post you just responded to, Is proved itself to be a Troll. We have an expression here "Please don't feed the trolls!" which many of us overlook. For IS, I will not be overlooking it afte this. Enjoy and have a great time in here!!!

Thanks for the welcome! I read you 5 by 5 regarding trolls, and the baiting thereof, but I don't think it's helpful to ignore or brush-off posters with...*ahem*...alternative messages just because we've been badly burned before. So far, insidespace has been relatively sincere and open for discussion. It would be a shame if we lost this educational opportunity by dismissing him/her.

Or maybe I'm just naive. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[Vim Razz]

Interestingly, they are quite possibly useless even in species where they were thought to be useful, such as pigeons. Studies which tested the dependence of pigeon homing ability on smell showed that if you stop pigeons smelling (by severing the olfactory nerve), they can't find their way home. Of course, it's possible that they use a combination of magnetism and other senses and that disrupting one ruins the whole thing, but it does raise some questions about the role of magnetism in animals. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that some bacteria align themselves with magnetic fields, so biological systems can certainly be influenced by magnets.

Very cool. I'll have to see if I can find something on that.

You're correct in regards to the bacteria; wiki has a great discussion of the topic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetotactic_bacteria

 

[MRC_Hans]

Well, I for 1 believe deeply in the "evolution" theory, so there is *no* reason to suppose that animal magnetism just evolved by "chance."

Uhh, no. It evolved through natural seletion.

Therefore, when early "man" (or "woman, but its not usually siad like that, sorry) walked upright he (or she) had to know where the outside of the dark cave really was.

Well, that is pretty easy: In most caves, the exit will be right where you found the entrance.

I pretty much assume that caves come are made in rock and rock has some iron in it.

Some types of rock do, others not.

Therefore, to find the opening of the cave (necessary when u have to get out in a hurry like when your enemies are coming) the people with animal magnetism could get out and survive for another day to reproduce and make more animal magnetism people.

Except, of course, that that is not the way "animal magnetism" works. And no kind of animal magnetism can pick up metal objects. I could try to explain why such strong magnetism would be useless for navigation, but I don't think you'd understand.

Oh, btw, recent research shows that the magnetic sense of migratory birds is located in the eyes.

Does this help?

Well, it does help understanding where the inside space your forum name mentions is located .

Hans

 

[MRC_Hans]

Can someone explain how he's doing it.

I read that article and it mentioned him being able to attach a tv to himself :S

Well, it also shows a picture of him carrying the TV. You will notice that he carries it with the front glass against his skin, and leaning backwards. Now, because the front glass is very thick (about an inch), and such a TV set contains mostly a few circuit boards, and some plastic, the majority of its weight is in the front-glass. Thus, the center of gravity (COG) is just behind the glass. If you were to look at him from the side, you will surely find that the COG of that TV is in fact inside the support area. So, all he has to do is make sure his skin is sufficiently sticky to keep it from sliding down. The stickyness doesn't actually have to carry the TV.

..And of course, his apparant difficulty prying off the TV is simply acting.

Hans

 

[MRC_Hans]

I could demonstrate the ability to attract metal objects to my upper-mid abdomen for a couple hours... then the ability moves down a bit until I can only attract them to my backside.

Eventually, however I have to excuse myself and when I return I no longer have the talent...

And also if you have any iron plumbing you may need to call a plumber to remove the little neodymium magnets from the pipes. Also... they won't be clean...

I know you are joking, but still:

WARNING: Do NOT swallow neodynium (or other powerful) magnets!

It is very dangerous. I don't suppose a single magnet is very risky, but several could put you in severe jeopardy. Imagine one magnet in your gut, and another, but around a bend. Now, they are attracted to each other and contact, through the wall of your gut and stay there and block blood circulation to the gut wall between them.

Several children have needed emergency surgery after swallowing Geomag sticks, or similar magnetic toys.

Hans

 

[Mashuna]

I for one think that the human brain has *way* more capeabilities than the human brain can imagine

I don't see anything that supports that, only your opinion.

 

[Cuddles]

Very cool. I'll have to see if I can find something on that.

Sorry, I meant to include a link, but it seems I forgot. There's an article in New Scientist about this, with references to the studies.

She released 48 inexperienced homing pigeons 50 kilometres from their home loft. Half of them had had their olfactory nerve severed and half their trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for magnetic navigation. The next day, all but one of the birds deprived of their trigeminal nerve had returned home. Only four without a sense of smell returned (The Journal of Experimental Biology, vol 209, p 2888).

It's far from conclusive yet, but as the article says, there's an important difference between showing that animals can detect magnetic fields and showing that they actually use them to navigate. The former is fairly well extablished, but the latter is far from certain.

 

[MRC_Hans]

It's far from conclusive yet, but as the article says, there's an important difference between showing that animals can detect magnetic fields and showing that they actually use them to navigate. The former is fairly well extablished, but the latter is far from certain.

You know, that makes a lot of sense. If you think about it, a homing pigeon needs to find its way home from some unknown position. Obviously, even the best compass won't do that for you, alone. To set a compass course, it is not enough to know where you want to go, you must also know where you are. So they must have some additional method(s).

For migratory birds, recent experiments have shown that failing a view to the starts, they follow a compass course, but their problem is also simpler: They know they are up north, and need to go south, or vice versa. Even here, to get to their precise goal, they need something more.

Hans

 

[Belz...]

Here is the only Human (Homo Superior species) who has real magentic powers.

I think you meant "magestic".

 

[vexed]

Can someone explain how he's doing it.

I read that article and it mentioned him being able to attach a tv to himself :S

I believe you want to look up vapor lock.