Experimental Magnetic Shield Against Cosmic Rays

stiller writes "British scientists from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have developed an experimental set-up in which a $20 magnet is used to deflect solar-wind-like radiation." Reader Dersaidin points out a slightly more enthusiastic article at Universe Today which emphasizes the possibilities of systems based on this phenomenon to protect astronauts during solar storms, writing "It's a good start. Hopefully, later versions will be able to protect spaceships from energy weapons. A beam from the LHC can melt a 500kg block of copper. Shields, check. Energy weapons, check. Now we just need a viable interstellar drive, and an energy source to power it all."

Comments

Re:Tea or Death?

[PearsSoap]

how well does tea steep in zero G

I don't know, but you can drink it with chopsticks.

Re:Prior Art

[SydShamino]

I was looking for a serious thread to reply to, but it seems this topic attracts more kidding than science. =p

Anyway, my college plasma physics professor, a decade ago, told us that he'd invented the "force field". It created a magnetic shield around an object in a vacuum, and was intended to protect things like satellites from charged particles. (For obvious reasons discussed below he didn't go into detail.)

His work was funded by the U.S. Air Force, who promptly took the patent and classified it. In other words, this was invented about 15 years ago, and this guy might have just made it public, but he's likely not going to get a patent to protect his invention since it will be rejected.

Re:Experimental Magic Shield Against Cosmic Rays

[glittalogik]

Will any sufficiently advanced society resemble cosplay?