the.com/levitation
Convincing people gravity took a coffee break, using only physics and misdirection.
means The act (or illusion) of rising and hanging in the air without visible physical support.
from From Latin 'levis,' meaning 'light' (in weight) — the same root that gives us 'lever' and 'alleviate.' Latin had the word 'levitas' for lightness; English bolted on '-ation' in the 17th century to make a proper noun for the act of becoming light enough to float. It's the direct linguistic opposite of 'gravity,' which comes from 'gravis,' meaning 'heavy' — so the word itself is a tiny rebellion against its heavier Latin cousin.
- actual method
- magnets, wires, or well-angled mirrors, never willpower
- quantum version
- real, but only for single atoms, not magicians
- audience trick
- brain fills gaps faster than eyes can check
- longest stage record
- performers trained years to fake a few seconds