What the young Marion eyes watched was the Meissner effect in action, putting on display perfect diamagnetism and flux quantization (under applied magnetic fields, of course) that enabled energetically constrained vortex configurations to produce stable quantum-locked levitation and suspension against gravity. 

In other words, magnets were floating in the air and that was, like, super cool.

It was all part of a STEM presentation by Dr. Ryan Vogt, adjunct professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, who visited Marion Elementary School last week to show young students science action in real life. Using liquid nitrogen to cool the objects, Dr. Vogt used a simple prop to display the scientific properties, like floating magnets, and judging by the reaction from students, the demonstration was enthusiastically well-received. 

What the students may not know (yet) is that the science they saw in action comes in handy in every day life. The ability to carry electricity with zero pressure can be applied to make power grids more efficient. The technology is already used in MRI machines at hospitals and may be the foundation for train transportation in the future. 

Think of it like this: If you’ve played around with magnets and tried to push them together, the resistance you’ve experienced makes it feel like the magnets are floating. That’s the basis of what the students saw in action and it’s this science that takes the “floating effect” to an extreme.

Thank you to Dr. Vogt for making the time to visit Marion Elementary School to show our young learners how science works in our lives every day.