- I NEVER KNOW
WHAT HE'S GONNA DO. I LIKE TO BE SURPRISED.
SO WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY? - ULTIMATE PARTY TRICK. YOU'RE
GONNA BE AWESOME AT THIS, OKAY? - OKAY. - OKAY, SO HERE'S WHAT
YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO DO. YOU GET THREE GLASSES.
YOU KNOW WHAT THE RULE IS-- YOU DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME.
YOU TRY THIS AT A FRIEND'S HOME. RIGHT?
SO LET'S GO-- SO YOU NEED SOME WATER.
SO HERE ARE THE GLASSES. YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT
OF WATER IN EACH ONE. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT GOES--
SEE-- NO, IT'S JUST FOOD COLORING. ALL RIGHT, SO ON TOP OF THAT
GOES A TRAY. SO YOU GET A TRAY, LIKE, FROM,
I DON'T KNOW, A FAST FOOD PLACE, AND THEN YOU GO LIKE THIS--
OKAY, PERFECT. NOW YOU'RE GONNA NEED
TO HAVE THESE. WHAT DO YOU CALL THESE?
- TOILET PAPER ROLLS. - WE CALL 'EM DOO-DO-DO TUBES.
- OKAY. - [sings] DOO-DO-DO! THAT'S HOW MOM KNEW
WE WERE DONE. SO THAT GOES HERE LIKE THAT,
AND THIS GOES HERE, AND THIS GOES HERE. AND NOW,
WHAT DO YOU CALL THESE? - I DON'T KNOW.
- ORANGES. - OKAY.
- ALL RIGHT. THIS GOES--HERE'S THIS,
AND THEN THIS GOES HERE. AND THEN THIS IS THE ULTIMATE
TRIBUTE TO ISAAC NEWTON, GOT IT? SO HERE'S WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO. IN JUST A SECOND,
YOU'RE GONNA SMASH THE TRAY, AND WHEN YOU HIT THE TRAY, IT'S GONNA CAUSE
THE FORWARD MOTION TO HIT THE TOILET PAPER ROLLS,
KNOCK 'EM OUT OF THE WAY, THE LITTLE ORANGES
WILL SIT THERE, GRAVITY SMACKS 'EM
RIGHT INTO THE GLASS. YOU'RE GONNA BE GREAT AT THIS,
OKAY? - OKAY.
- SO, WATCH. STAND OVER HERE.
- MM-HMM. - SO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO
IS THIS. YOU'RE RIGHT-HANDED, RIGHT?
- YEAH. - OH, THANK GOD. SO YOU'RE LIKE THIS-- YOU'RE GONNA PULL BACK
ABOUT LIKE THIS, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA
HIT THE TRAY, BUT DON'T KNOCK
OVER THE GLASSES. OBJECT: DON'T KNOCK OVER
THE GLASSES. BUT YOU'RE GONNA, BOOM,
KIND OF SMACK IT. - OKAY.
- GOT IT? - YEP.
- THIS IS GONNA BE SO GOOD. SO YOU'RE GONNA BE ABOUT
THIS FAR BACK, AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA, BOOM,
AND YOU'RE GONNA HIT IT, OKAY? IF IT WORKS, THREE IN, GOT IT?
- OKAY. - DRUM ROLL, PLEASE. THREE, TWO, ONE, HIT IT IN! AND THE CROWD! THAT WAS AWESOME. THREE IN. [cheers and applause] I LOVE THAT. - HOW'D YOU DO THAT? - HOW'D YOU DO THAT?
- HOW'D YOU DO THAT? - LITTLE-- HEY, PUT ON YOUR GLASSES.
- OKAY. - WHAT WOULD AN "ELLEN" SEGMENT
BE WITHOUT FIRE? - OH, BOY.
- ALL RIGHT. SO HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS. I HAPPEN TO HAVE SOME FIRE
OVER HERE, AND IT'S SITTING
ON A LAZY SUSAN. SO I WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT KIND OF SPINS. SO YOU SEE THE SPINNING ACTION
THAT'S THERE? - MM-HMM.
- THAT'S NOT ALL THAT EXCITING. BUT IF YOU COULD IMAGINE THIS
BEING A FIRE, UNFORTUNATELY, IN A FOREST, AND THERE'S TREES
ALL THE WAY AROUND, IT GETS TO HAVE THIS KIND OF
A VORTEX ACTION. AND IT'S HARD TO SHOW YOU HERE
WHEN IT'S SO SMALL, SO THAT'S WHY WE MADE IT BIGGER
OVER HERE. - YEP.
- SO COME HERE. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
SEE? THIS IS A CAGE. AND I WANT THIS
TO REPRESENT TREES, AND SO AS THE WIND
KIND OF HITS IT, IT SENDS IT IN THIS
CIRCULAR MOTION, SO THE FIRE'S GONNA BE
DOWN THERE, BUT THEN WE'RE GONNA START
TO SPIN THIS CAGE, AND AS WE SPIN THE CAGE,
YOU'RE GONNA GET SOME MOMENTUM, AND I WANT YOU TO SEE
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY CALL IT
A FIRE VORTEX. OKAY, ALL RIGHT,
SO LET ME OPEN THIS UP. OKAY, YOU STAND BACK.
- OKAY. - OKAY, HERE WE GO.
NICE. SO NOW--
HERE, WATCH WHAT HAPPENS. IT'S OKAY.
YOU CAN COME HERE. IT'S FINE. - THAT'S OKAY.
- ALL RIGHT, SO IT STARTS-- HONESTLY. TRUST ME.
- OKAY. - YOU STILL TRUST ME,
DON'T YOU? WATCH THIS.
IT'S A SLOW TURN, BUT WATCH. WE START TO GET THIS WHIP, AND THEN IT'S GONNA GO A LITTLE
FASTER, A LITTLE FASTER. YOU'RE GONNA START TO SEE,
THIS VORTEX STARTS-- - WOW.
- OH, HERE IT GOES. A LITTLE FASTER, LITTLE FASTER.
IT REALLY-- SEE HOW IT STARTS TO DANCE
WITH THIS VORTEX THAT'S HERE? SO YOU SEE HOW A FOREST FIRE
CAN ACTUALLY JUMP FROM TREE TO TREE TO TREE
ALL THE WAY THROUGH, AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT
FIREFIGHTERS HAVE TO FIGHT, AND I WANTED TO SHOW YOU
WHAT THE PHENOMENON LOOKED LIKE. - THAT'S AMAZING.
- ISN'T THAT AMAZING? - THAT'S SCARY.
- HERE WE GO. I KNOW, IT'S-- YOU DON'T DO THAT AT A PARTY,
ALL RIGHT? YOU CAN TAKE YOUR GLASSES,
SET 'EM HERE. - ALL RIGHT. - LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE COOLEST
DEMONSTRATIONS I'VE EVER SEEN. TAKE--
- THAT'S SAYING A LOT. YOU'VE DONE SOME
COOL THINGS HERE. - THIS IS VERY, VERY COOL. YOU HEAR THE TERM
SUPERCONDUCTOR. HAVE YOU HEARD THAT BEFORE?
- NO. - OKAY, WELL, THEY TALK
ABOUT SUPERCONDUCTORS, IN, LIKE, ELECTRICITY
AND PHYSICS, AND SO FORTH. A LOT--I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. SO THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A DISC
THAT HAS A SUPERCONDUCTOR. IT'S JUST A MATERIAL
THAT'S REALLY, REALLY HARD. IT'S A COMPOSITE,
AND WE SUPERCOOL IT HERE. THIS IS A RAIL OF MAGNETS. SO IF YOU'LL HANG ON TO THIS. THERE'S ONLY ONE OF THESE
IN THE COUNTRY. NORTH MUSEUM IN
LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, LET US BORROW IT FOR THE SHOW. IT WAS ACTUALLY MADE
IN TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY, SO THIS IS THE SUPERCONDUCTOR
COOLED TO 320 DEGREES BELOW 0. I CAN TOUCH THAT PART
BECAUSE IT'S GOT FOAM ON IT. BUT NOW WATCH WHAT HAPPENS.
STAY RIGHT THERE. DON'T MOVE.
[gasps] AND THERE'S THE LEVITATION.
WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT? IS THAT JUST--
- WOW. - NOW WATCH THIS. YOU CAN ACTUALLY PIN IT
IN PLACE. SO IT SITS HERE LIKE THIS,
OR I CAN PIN IT THIS WAY, OR I CAN PIN IT THIS WAY,
WHICH IS AMAZING. IMAGINE A RAIL LIKE THIS--
AND IT'S NOT A MAGNET. IT'S ACTUALLY REFLECTING
THE MAGNETISM. WATCH THIS. IMAGINE A RAIL THAT GOES
FROM NEW YORK TO LOS ANGELES. THEY'RE SAYING THAT IN OUR
LIFETIME WE MAY SEE A RAIL-- LOOK AT THAT,
IT'S JUST FLOATING-- THAT CAN GO FROM ONE COAST
TO THE NEXT, 45 MINUTES,
AT 4,000 MILES PER HOUR. MESSES UP YOUR HAIR,
BUT IT'S TOTALLY AWESOME, RIGHT? SO HERE, WATCH THIS. LOOK AT THIS OVER HERE. I'VE GOT AN ENTIRE RAIL
THAT GOES AROUND. SO NOW WATCH.
YOU CAN ACTUALLY FEEL IT. IT'S OKAY FOR YOU TO TOUCH. JUST PUSH IT A LITTLE BIT.
FEEL IT? - YEAH.
- NOW PUSH IT AROUND THE TRACK. - THERE IT GOES.
- THAT'S VERY COLD. - ISN'T THAT ABSOLUTELY AMAZING?
HERE, WATCH THIS. AS THIS ONE SITS HERE
LIKE THIS, LET ME PUSH THIS ONE DOWN, AND THIS ONE'S UP
AS FAR AS I CAN GET IT. LOOK AT THIS,
AS IT SPINS AROUND-- ISN'T THAT JUST AMAZING?
- WOW. - SO WHEN IT COOLS, IT'LL SIT HERE AND KIND OF
FALL DOWN THIS WAY, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE
WHAT HAPPENS. SO IMAGINE A RAIL BEING ABLE
TO MOVE WITH NO FRICTION AT ALL. MY THOUGHT IS THIS-- WOULDN'T IT BE FUN
IF YOU COULD DO THIS? AND SO I WAS THINKING,
IF YOU DON'T MIND-- I KNOW THE OSCARS ARE CLOSE-- BUT WE DIP YOU
IN THE SUPERCONDUCTOR-- IT'S FINE--AND THEN GET YOU KIND
OF COLD, AND THEN YOU FLOAT. - OKAY, NO.
- OKAY. - SO STEVE SPANGLER
HAS ONE MORE EXPERIMENT THAT I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. WHAT ARE WE DOING? - WELL, I WANTED YOU TO FLOAT, AND SO WE MADE A LITTLE DEVICE
THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO FLOAT. FAIR ENOUGH?
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. COME HERE. IT'S A HOVERCRAFT...
- UH-HUH. AND YOU CAN MAKE A HOVERCRAFT
IF YOU WANT TO-- OH, DOESN'T THAT LOOK AWESOME?
- YEP. - COME HERE.
I'M GONNA HELP YOU WITH THIS. THIS ONE'S YOURS.
- ALL RIGHT. - SO NOW I HAVE TO HELP YOU
KIND OF GET ON IT, SO, HERE, JUST KIND OF, LIKE,
STEP OVER. YEP, OKAY.
SEE? YOU'RE FINE. - YEP.
- OKAY, GOOD. SO NOW--YOU REMEMBER WE HAD ALL
THOSE LEAF BLOWERS LAST TIME? - YEP. - WELL, I USED ONE,
AND HOOKED IT UP HERE, AND SO NOW IF WE BLOW
INTO IT LIKE THIS, SEE HOW IT LIFTS YOU UP? OKAY, SO LEAN BACK.
GOOD. SO HERE WE GO. SEE? [laughter] NICE.
SEE, THAT'S GOOD. - YES.
- GOOD. OKAY, SO NOW, HERE--
THIS IS GOOD. SO NOW LEAN ALL THE WAY--
KIND OF PUSH BACK. GOOD.
OKAY, SO NOW WATCH THIS. I WANT TO PROPEL YOU,
SO THIS IS-- IF YOU SQUEEZE
THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER-- FOR EVERY ACTION THERE'S
AN EQUAL AND OPPOSITE REACTION. READY, GO. HOLD ON, HOLD!
HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON! HOLD ON. SEE HOW GREAT THAT IS?
- YEAH. - OKAY. - DON'T GET CRAZY, BUT-- OKAY, YOU BE GOOD.
I'M GONNA HOP ON MINE. WAIT HERE.
- OKAY. - ALL RIGHT. OKAY, READY?
GO! GO THAT WAY! HOLD ON!
I'M COMING TO YOU! HOLD ON! I'LL TAKE YOU BACK HERE. OKAY. - GO TO OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT STEVE AND HIS NEW SCIENCE
TRAINING PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS. I WANT TO THANK JESSICA LANGE,
LUPITA NYONG'O, STEVE SPANGLER, AND TWITCH. HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.
BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. BYE-BYE. [cheers and applause]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meissner_effect
You still need lots of energy to cool the superconducting magnets (which ain't cheap either).