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When Things Spin, Science Happens: Difference between revisions
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* ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's]]'' has Momentum, a big spinning thing that provides power to all of Neo Domino City. It's not quite explained how it works, other than by harnessing the powers of momentum. Although if it explodes, then it can split the land in two.
* In ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]'', ships have rotating sections which appear to be gravity generators. (Note that this is a concept that has been seriously proposed in [[Real Life]]; for example see the [[wikipedia:Island Three|O'Neill Cylinder]].)
== Comic Books ==
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* [[Superman]] in the [[Silver Age]] could even stop tornadoes and [[Time Travel]] by doing so.
** [https://web.archive.org/web/20130807013750/http://superdickery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=33&Itemid=52&limitstart=10 An example of "spinning = time travel"] at Superdickery.com.
== Film ==
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== Literature ==
* [[Discworld]]:
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** Spindizzies are based on [[wikipedia:Patrick Blackett, Baron Blackett|P. M. S. Blackett]]'s work on planetary magnetism, correlating magnetism, gravity, and angular momentum. As angular momentum is a key factor, of course a spinning <s>doohickey</s> device is necessary. If memory serves,{{verify}} the intent was to use magnetism and spin to change Newton's <s>fudge factor</s> gravitational constant, flipping it negative, and causing anti-gravity. Blackett's work in this area was discredited to his own satisfaction in his lifetime.
* The titular craft from the ''[[Rama]]'' series generates gravity from spinning (see "centrifugal force" under {{smallcaps|Truth In Television}} below) and odd effects arise from Coriolis forces that the characters use to their advantage.
* The ''[[Ringworld]]'' not only spins for gravity, its spin also allows it to act magnetically on its sun to produce [[Wave Motion Gun|solar-flare megalasers]], fuel its stabilizing jets with ramscoops, and even {{spoiler|turn the whole Ringworld system mobile}}.
* In [[Larry Niven]]'s ''[[The Magic Goes Away (novel)|The Magic Goes Away]]'', When Things Spin, Magic Happens... or rather, [[Anti-Magic]], as the wizard-wheel burns up all the [[Mana]] in the area until it depletes the local [[Background Magic Field]], leaving a dead zone.
▲== Live Action TV ==
* In ''[[Firefly]]'', how ''Serenity'''s engines function is never explained, other than it must spin to work.
** According to the director, the engine is a gravity drive, which still doesn't explain why it has to spin.
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* As an inversion, the spinning sections of Earth Alliance, Drazi and Vree ships in ''[[Babylon 5]]'' show that they are less advanced than the other races, who use artificial gravity instead of centrifugal force.
* Surely every ''[[CSI]]'' ''ever'' deserves a mention here? Centrifuges are some of the most visually impressive pieces of equipment in many laboratories, especially biological ones, but they don't really give you all the answers..
== Video Games ==
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* Science cruisers, AWACS, subspace portals, and even nebula gas miners in ''[[Free Space]]'' all have very prominent spinning widgets.
* Teleporters from ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' are a prime example: They become ready to use when they're up to full speed. The upgraded ones accelerate to full speed faster.
== Web Comics ==
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{{quote|"...and if science has taught me anything, it's that if something is '''spinning''', it's '''important'''.}}
* ''[[Drive (webcomic)|Drive]]'': It's not clear how the Ring Drive works (all we know is that it's ''really'' cold in there), but since it's apparently ring-shaped by necessity, there's likely spinning involved.
== Web Original ==
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{{quote|"My whole deal's backed up with actual scientific findings and rotating computer graphics, so you ''know'' it's legit!"}}
* From the ''[[Global Guardians PBEM Universe]]:'' Herr Doktor Archeville possessed a machine that his teammates called "the spinny gizmo". No one was sure what it did, really, but it sure looked fancy, and it had that spinny part on the front of it.
== Western Animation ==
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* On ''[[Superfriends]]'', spinning was practically the universal solution.
* In ''[[Futurama]]'', the heads of jurists spin when deciding on a verdict in court.
== Real Life ==
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** [[wikipedia:Centrifugal governor|Centrifugal governors]] consist of two weights on hinges on an axle. When the engine starts up, the axle spins around and centrifugal forces cause the weights to swing in and out, regulating the speed of the engine. The net effect to the bystander, though, is to have a little propeller-looking doohicky that has no obvious function.
*** This is where the term "Going balls out" comes from. Not from [[Going Commando|not wearing undies]], but from operating at maximum speed.
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{{quote|"some sort of governor device. I feel I could do something with a pair of revolving balls."
"Funnily enough, when that lightning bolt hit, the thing started glowing, and we went scudding across the water, I distinctly felt ''my''-" }}
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{{reflist}}
[[Category:Applied Phlebotinum]]▼
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
▲[[Category:Applied Phlebotinum]]
[[Category:Everything's Better with Spinning]]
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