Under what circumstances will magnetic levitation kill Average Joe?

After the WorldBuilding community helped Average Joe start his own microstate, Joe has become scientifically inclined, and uses his money to conduct somewhat dangerous research projects from his new soverign position as President of Somewhere. (Might not end well)

---

Now Joe, thinking he can do everything, has decided to invest money in antigravity research. His top scientists tell him that magnets are the way to go: if we can make a frog fly around in a magnetic tube because water is diamagnetic, why not try the same with people, another fairly water-rich species?

---

Assume:

• Joe has the money to build an electromagnet as large as he wants, or research until he can achieve extreme magnetic attraction
• It is set up the same way as in the classic frog experiment, just on a larger scale
• Joe is Average (there is no special weight, composition etc within Joe)
• Real physics must apply. No unobtanium, magic, law bending, etc.
• Joe's scientists don't have to be right about magnetic levitation being cost-effective or "The way to go". This question is not asking for realistic levitation, it's asking what powerful magnets can do to the body.

Prompt

• Frogs were used in the original experiment because they are made up of a significant amount of water, and it's spread pretty evenly. Humans have a less even distribution of water; will that mean areas such as the stomach, digestive track, skull etc are at risk of being pulled outward? (This is not specifically what I'm answering, just something to consider in an answer)
• Blood contains a whole lotta iron

Before Joe hops inside the electromagnet, he needs to know:

• What are the health risks of a small amount of magnetism - just enough to hover a few inches?
• At what point does Joe need to take measures to protect himself?
• How much magnetism will kill Joe?

posted about 8 years ago

Zxyrra‭

1 reputation 46 0 0 0