Hoverboards, Get ‘Em While They’re Hot
Last week I was talking about flying cars and griping about why Back to the Future would lie to us… we still don’t have hoverboards. Low and behold those wacky theoretical physicists decided to turn science fiction into reality – voilĂ , hoverboards coming soon.
Professor Ulf Leonhardt and Dr Thomas Philbin, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland found a way to reverse the Casimir effect, making it repel instead of attract. Soon frictionless nanomachines will having moving parts below your feet to propel you as far away from Biff as your heart desires.
The breakthrough experiment allowed the scientists to levitate an ultra thin mirror between two conducting plates. In the past tests with large magnets allowed some small scale levitation. The problem is that using repulsive forces like magnets requires large amounts of energy. In contrast, these mirrors were floating “by theories that were exploiting naturally smaller amounts of energy produced by the quantum fluctuations of empty space.“
Even though the scientists say we won’t be pre-ordering from Matel just yet, the horizon is finally looking good. Sure, you may look a little strange on your new ride by the time you hit 45, but if your kid wants one he better be sure to know that your getting a spin on it when no one is looking.
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Wild Bill said
am August 9 2007 @ 8:25 pm
When Back To The Future came out I was a little boy and I really thought those hover boards were real. haha
I would spend much money on a chance to ride a real hover board.
Dugg and Stumbled!
Jerad Kaliher said
am August 9 2007 @ 10:21 pm
@Wild Bill, call it sophomoric but I think that I was more into the Back to the Future franchise as a kid than Star Wars or any other popular series.
I still think about it to this day, hoverboards, flying cars, and every time a marathon is on you can bet that I’m going to be there watching.
Timm Tayshun said
am August 13 2007 @ 7:49 pm
I think its funny you were mad about not having hoverboards now, and you weren’t bothered by not having a chromed out time machine in the mid to late eighties. I just wanted jaws 15 or whatever it was. In crappy digital 3-d.
Jerad Kaliher said
am August 13 2007 @ 9:25 pm
@Timm, great call. And don’t worry, we are also highly anticipating Jaws 3D. Just because it has fallen behind the two big wants doesn’t mean it doesn’t have it’s own place in the wish list pecking order.
Tyler said
am August 14 2007 @ 1:43 am
don’t forget, scientists have got 8 more years beofre the “due date” for the hoverboard, and for Jaws 3-D, since BttF part II took place in 2015.
Jerad Kaliher said
am August 14 2007 @ 5:57 am
@Tyler, the countdown is on and they better get in gear.
Michael Maricic said
am August 17 2007 @ 7:22 am
i dig it
BeachBum said
am August 19 2007 @ 1:05 pm
I would hurt myself or get motion sickness. It does look cool though.
SaleBum
Jerad Kaliher said
am August 19 2007 @ 10:02 pm
@BeachBum, You know you would be right on board. Thanks for the comment!
Modified mummy said
am August 29 2007 @ 7:53 am
I’ve bookmarked this to show to my partner when he gets back from the shops, as he’s a slight BttF fanatic, and this will be like christmas to him (in which case, god knows what he’d be like if/when they actually are available for purchase!!)
As our night out has been cancelled, I have no doubt of what we’ll be watching after showing this to him… oh dear
Jerad Kaliher said
am August 29 2007 @ 9:28 am
@Modified mummy, I’m sure he’ll be tickled pink. I know I am!
Davey said
am September 1 2007 @ 10:51 pm
Hey I just want a damned sports almanac from 2015!!!!
LOL
Jerad Kaliher said
am September 2 2007 @ 9:48 am
@Davey, your telling me. Let’s just say Jerad World would kill Biff World any day.
gordon huser said
am September 4 2007 @ 6:42 pm
Gotta get me one of those!
Melissa said
am September 5 2007 @ 9:12 am
Now that they have got the hoverboard working.. when is someone going to repair the flux capacitor??
Jerad Kaliher said
am September 5 2007 @ 12:04 pm
@Melissa, I’ve always wondered if I had a one way trip to the past how much knowledge I could actually pass on to claim fortune and glory. What do you think you would do if you could go back in time?
Zath said
am October 26 2007 @ 11:30 am
I remember watching BTTF2 as a kid – the hoverboards were so cool.
I always thought they were the answer to my problem of living in the country and lack of flat surface to roll over!
Jerad Kaliher said
am October 27 2007 @ 11:00 am
@Zath, oh yeah I’ve been going gaga over having one ever since. I used to watch all three films – marathon style – with friends almost every other weekend.
jerson said
am January 20 2008 @ 1:47 pm
where can we buy back to the future hover boards
Landrana said
am February 2 2008 @ 12:48 pm
I alway wish i had A hoverboard When I was A kid I wished I have A hoverboard And i still want one but soon it is going to make your life much better.
But also We Would feel Weird and Look Weird cause were not children anymore but It is one of the tools that make our lives easier.
megan said
am April 7 2008 @ 7:17 am
I thought that manufacturers weren’t allowed to produce hoverboards because they weren’t approved to be sold, at least that’s what was said on the bonus features of the 3 disc DVD collection of bttf but I’m sure you guys have all watched that.
jude 'alias' master said
am April 1 2009 @ 5:09 am
dude there a hoverboard with a engine on that go up 1/2 ft it awesome
using a like a skateboard then mount a vertical shaft 5 – 12 hp engine to it with multi fan blades at the bottom (may a little twinking and money to get it right)then take off the wheels and axels get some weird and futuristic looking clothes then SHOW OFF TO YOUR FREINDS
lie saying you made a time michine and ‘just came back’ and you got your board from a maritain
SEEING YOU FLYING ON THAT RAD BOARD
THEY HAVE TO BELEIVE YOUR ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
charles erdman said
am April 27 2009 @ 11:30 pm
yes i watched the back to the future series,the hoverboards were cool but is someone going to invent them instead of the gas powered airbag one,they should make one that glows in the dark so people can see you at night,
charles erdman said
am May 1 2009 @ 9:02 pm
i wonder if they will have hoverboards in the year 20.15 like in back to the future? someone should get to work on them,they already have trains that hover in some countrys so why cant we make a simple board float in air? will we ever have them only science will know,i hope its not to far in the future?
katelyn said
am June 28 2009 @ 3:49 pm
I wud spend all my money on one of those. Are they real..I heard they are, but they werent safe.