# Anyone know about 'Lifters'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 20, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987 "2002-05-20T20:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CheapBastid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@CheapBastid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheapBastid)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987/1 "2002-05-20T20:08:51Z")
> **[American Antigravity](https://www.americanantigravity.com/)** > > The Journal of Breakthrough Propulsion Physics since 2002, exploring antigravity, warp-drives, zero-point energy, FTL, antigravity research, time travel & more. [http://jnaudin.free.fr/html/lifters.htm](http://jnaudin.free.fr/html/lifters.htm) [http://www.terra.es/personal7/dafero4u/act/explica/explain.htm](http://www.terra.es/personal7/dafero4u/act/explica/explain.htm) Looks like exciting stuff, anyone have any more info on this technology? ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987/2 "2002-05-20T20:43:49Z")
They’re interesting, but so far I haven’t seen anything convincing to demonstrate that it’s anything more than an ion-wind effect. The devices are known to generate a substantial downward breeze as they hover, and so far the total thrust generates is so small that they can’t even lift their own power source. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2002, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987/3 "2002-05-20T21:04:07Z")
I’m inclined to think that’s what’s going on, as well. In the instructions, you’re advised to blow down on the lifter if it doesn’t take off immediately. Sounds to me like it’s basically just an ionic fan. Interesting, but not tremendously useful. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987/4 "2002-05-20T21:27:20Z")
And the Wright Brothers only flew for five seconds… I’d like to see where they go with this in ten years. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987/5 "2002-05-21T12:44:02Z")
From this week’s **What’s New** 1. “LIFTERS”: ALIEN TECHNOLOGISTS SEEK MEDIA EXPOSURE. WN got a call this week from a network television reporter asking about “lifter” technology. Since NASA’s Podkletnov gravity shield flopped (WN 12 Oct 01), the only anti-gravity claim around is the “lifter.” Developers refused to deny rumors that the idea came from wreckage taken from the Roswell UFO crash. Could this be? According to the official Air Force report, the wreckage consisted of balsa wood sticks, metal foil, plastic tape and neoprene. So we went to web site of American Antigravity, which lists materials needed to construct a lifter. Same stuff! [http://www.aps.org/WN/](http://www.aps.org/WN/) ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2002, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-know-about-lifters/109987/6 "2002-05-21T15:41:50Z")
Who cares about flying, could I build one to fit in my co-workers computer so I could chuck her squeeky fan? With no moving parts it would be reliable and quiet, wouldn’t it? Would it cause problems crammed inside of a computer case? Okay, so I tend to be a smart ass sometimes, but isn’t this a viable use for these things?