Newsgroups: sci.physics.plasma
From news@on-ramp.ior.com Wed Jan 11 18:07:20 1995
From: markcln@on-ramp.ior.com
Organization: Internet On-Ramp, Inc.
Subject: Re: plasma gravity

> wayne@cs.toronto.edu (Wayne Hayes) writes:
> markcln@on-ramp.ior.com writes:
> > A friend of mine recently told me that ducts beneath the floor
> >of a space station filled with particular types of plasma similar to
> >what is used in flourescent lights connected to an enormously large
> >power source could create a gravitational pull. I don't really see
> >how this could happen.
> >Could anyone enlighten me?
>
> 1) If the power source is sufficiently large, say, the size of our Moon,
> you can get rid of the plasma entirely and use the power source as the
> gravity source.
>
> 2) If not the above, then possibly the Enormously Large Power
> Source(tm) could generate enough power to energize the plasma to such a
> high temperature that the energy density would be sufficiently great to
> induce gravity via the inherent mass present due to E=mc^2.
> Unfortunately, this energy would probably be hard to contain, and
> result in the quick vapourization & ionization of the entire station
> and the surrounding cubic parsec, give or take.
>
> Now, using the Enormously Large Power Source(tm) to remove my tongue
> from firmly in my cheek, I think your friend is either pulling your
> leg, or is in need of some serious anti-star-trek rehabilitation.
>
> Maybe, just *maybe*, he may have been referring to some sort of
> magnetic or electric field generated, which would probably require
> us to wear spiffy shoes like in the movie 2001.
> --
> Wayne Hayes wayne@cs.utoronto.ca

Thanks for the info everyone. I won't listen to him anymore. :)

Carlin