# Can people REALLY levitate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 5, 2000, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845 "2000-11-05T21:34:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smartt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@smartt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2000, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/1 "2000-11-05T21:34:51Z")
And I **do** mean fly around. I’ve heard of a monk that could really fly, but he was completely bonkers. And when I’m flying in my dreams, it seems so easy. So, people are REALLY able do fly if they set their minds to it? ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2000, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/2 "2000-11-05T21:37:24Z")
The master on the subject of monk levitation: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_136.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_136.html) Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![LazarusLong42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@LazarusLong42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LazarusLong42)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/3 "2000-11-05T22:37:32Z")
Yes. You just have to be able to fall, and miss the ground. As to levitation specifically (as opposed to flying), it should be possible to levitate a human given a strong enough magnetic field. They’ve been able to levitate frogs over extremely powerful magnets (frogs without metallic support, mind you, though I must admit I’ve no idea how they got the frogs to sit still during the process). I imagien an even more powerful magnet would be able to levitate a human. LL ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2000, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/4 "2000-11-05T23:25:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LazarusLong42 \* > You just have to be able to fall, and miss the ground. I like ‘The Hitch-hikers Guide’ too - great fiction! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LazarusLong42 \* As to levitation specifically (as opposed to flying), it should be possible to levitate a human given a strong enough magnetic field. They’ve been able to levitate frogs over extremely powerful magnets (frogs without metallic support, mind you, though I must admit I’ve no idea how they got the frogs to sit still during the process). I imagine an even more powerful magnet would be able to levitate a human. I assume the thread is about psychic levitation - which has NEVER been demonstrated. I have ‘levitated’ at a theme park by hovering over an EXTREMELY powerful fan. I have experienced centrifugal force, when the floor (of the rapidly rotating cylinder I was in) dropped away. But these are simple demonstrations of observable (known)scientific forces. I wonder if you have to pay money to learn yogic levitation? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/5 "2000-11-06T01:37:19Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by glee \* \*\* > [@](#): > > I wonder if you have to pay money to learn yogic levitation? :rolleyes: \*\* It’s about $3000 according to Cecils article that I linked to earlier. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/6 "2000-11-06T01:52:21Z")
> [@](#): > > (frogs without metallic support, mind you, though I must admit I’ve no idea how they got > the frogs to sit still during the process) They didn’t get the frogs to sit still… They sort of swam around in the air. Also note that they weren’t exactly above a magnet, but more like inside the magnet: There’s a cylindrical open area on the inside. We actually have magnets powerful enough to do the same thing for a human, but the problem is size: We don’t have any that powerful with a large enough bore to fit a human inside. In case you’re wondering, the phenomenon is called diamagnetism: Most materials, including water and hence most living things, are actually repelled by a magnet, but the effect is weak enough that you need an extremely stong magnet to notice it. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/7 "2000-11-06T02:07:08Z")
I can levitate; I do it all the time. Send me $5000 and I’ll tell you how. (Cash, PayPal, and cashier’s checks accepted) ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2000, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/8 "2000-11-06T02:51:48Z")
I can levitate but if i do i explode. I know because thats what happened last time i tried and im still looking for my left ear. For a better question, how do they fly in DBZ? Im guessing its explained somewhere but i have no idea how to find any of the earlier episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/9 "2000-11-07T00:46:39Z")
Try [these](http://www.theonion.com/onion2908/monkgloats.html) guys. I am the serenest!! ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/10 "2000-11-07T01:27:41Z")
But try [these guys](http://www.sci.kun.nl/hfml/froglev.html) for **real** levitating frogs. Is serenity better than a good link? ---
**Author:** ![lucwarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19adc/32.png) [@lucwarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucwarm)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/11 "2000-11-07T02:01:57Z")
For what it’s worth, I went to a “yogic flying demonstration” about 10 years ago when I was in college. It was one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. Grown men, sitting in the lotus position, hopping along and thinking that they are flying. I couldn’t look any of my buddies in the eye, for fear that we would burst out laughing. (Of course, the presence of skeptics interferes with the yogic levitation process) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/12 "2000-11-07T02:20:30Z")
Why all the concern with the frogs sitting still? If I read the links correctly, you can levitate a frog which had been run over by a semi. But, then the question becomes, why would you want to? ---
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/13 "2000-11-07T04:27:44Z")
You mean you didn’t burst out laughing when you saw that? ---
**Author:** ![peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peace)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/14 "2000-11-07T04:36:39Z")
quote\*\* So, people are REALLY able do fly if they set their minds to it?\*\* Yeah. Although they fly faster if they set their souls and hearts to it, too. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/15 "2000-11-07T04:37:16Z")
> [@](#): > > I am the serenest!! _eyes wide with wonder/horror_ Please please please tell me the Onion is a joke news source… ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/16 "2000-11-07T05:09:40Z")
A more interesting question would’ve been: How do illusionists and magicians perform levitations? I know most of the levitation methods, some are really creative too. ---
**Author:** ![fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ba0ec/32.png) [@fish\_in\_the\_sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fish_in_the_sky)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/17 "2000-11-07T05:22:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LaurAnge \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > I am the serenest!! > > _eyes wide with wonder/horror_ Please please please tell me the Onion is a joke news source… \*\* The Onion® is a satirical newspaper published by Onion, Inc. The Onion® uses invented names in all its stories, except in cases when public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names is accidental and coincidental. from [http://www.theonion.com/info/masthead.html](http://www.theonion.com/info/masthead.html) ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/18 "2000-11-07T05:32:20Z")
And it’s one of the funniest damn sites on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/19 "2000-11-07T05:37:16Z")
_almost faints in relief_ Extremely well done, though =\> ---
**Author:** ![kgriffey79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/2bfe46/32.png) [@kgriffey79](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kgriffey79)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845/20 "2000-11-07T06:25:12Z")
A television program documented levitation. They spoke of a monk that was said to fly from the balcony to the alter, but they think that he really jumped. They also showed how in India people tricked scientists by sitting on a seat in a ground for hours(the seat was hidden by the large cloak.) They also documented yoga levitation. They talked about some guy the John Lennon and all the famous people visited during the 60s who was believed to be able to levitate. His followers still teach the technique today. They say that there are three stages. The modern people can only get to stage two. All they do is hop around with their legs folded in. I really don’t believe in levitation, it seems very improbable. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-people-really-levitate/39845.md?page=2)