" How I Cont r ol Gr avi t y"

Publ i shed i n Sci ence and I nvent i on, August 1929, and
Psychi c Obser ver , Vol . XXXVI I , No. 1
Document s Menu



Ther e i s a deci ded t endency i n t he physi cal sci ences t o uni f y
t he gr eat basi c l aws and t o r el at e, by a si ngl e st r uct ur e or
mechani sm, such i ndi vi dual phenomena as gr avi t at i on,
el ect r odynami cs and even mat t er i t sel f . I t i s f ound t hat mat t er
and el ect r i ci t y ar e ver y cl osel y r el at ed i n st r uct ur e. I n t he
f i nal anal ysi s mat t er l oses i t s t r adi t i onal i ndi vi dual i t y and
becomes mer el y an " el ect r i cal condi t i on. " I n f act , i t mi ght be
sai d t hat t he concr et e body of t he uni ver se i s not hi ng mor e t han
an assembl age of ener gy whi ch, i n i t sel f , i s qui t e i nt angi bl e. Of
cour se, i t i s sel f - evi dent t hat mat t er i s connect ed wi t h
gr avi t at i on and i t f ol l ows l ogi cal l y t hat el ect r i ci t y i s l i kewi se
connect ed. These r el at i ons exi st i n t he r eal m of pur e ener gy and
consequent l y ar e ver y basi c i n nat ur e. I n al l r eal i t y t hey
const i t ut e t he t r ue backbone of t he uni ver se. I t i s needl ess t o
say t hat t he r el at i ons ar e not si mpl e, and f ul l under st andi ng of
t hei r concept s i s compl i cat ed by t he out st andi ng l ack of
i nf or mat i on and r esear ch on t he r eal nat ur e of gr avi t at i on.

The t heor y of r el at i vi t y i nt r oduced a new and r evol ut i onar y
l i ght t o t he subj ect by i nj ect i ng a new concept i on of space and
t i me. Gr avi t at i on t hus becomes t he nat ur al out come of so- cal l ed
" di st or t ed space. " I t l oses i t s Newt oni an i nt er pr et at i on as a
t angi bl e mechani cal f or ce and gai ns t he r ank of an " appar ent "
f or ce, due mer el y t o t he condi t i on of space i t sel f .

Fi el ds i n space ar e pr oduced by t he pr esence of mat er i al
bodi es or el ect r i c char ges. They ar e gr avi t at i onal f i el ds or
el ect r i c f i el ds accor di ng t o t hei r causes. Appar ent l y t hey have
no connect i on one wi t h t he ot her . Thi s f act i s subst ant i at ed by
obser vat i ons t o t he ef f ect t hat el ect r i c f i el ds can be shi el ded
and annul l ed whi l e gr avi t at i onal f i el ds ar e near l y per f ect l y
penet r at i ng. Thi s di ssi mi l ar i t y has been t he chi ef har dshi p t o
t hose who woul d compose a Theor y of Combi nat i on.

I t r equi r ed Dr . Ei nst ei n' s own cl ose st udy f or a per i od of
sever al year s t o achi eve t he r esul t s ot her s have sought i n vai n
and t o announce wi t h cer t ai nt y t he uni t ar y f i el d l aws.

Ei nst ei n' s f i el d t heor y i s pur el y mat hemat i cal . I t i s not
based on t he r esul t s of any l abor at or y t est and does not , so f ar
as known, pr edi ct any met hod by whi ch an act ual demonst r at i on or
pr oof may be made. The new t heor y accompl i shes i t s pur pose by
" r oundi ng out " t he accept ed Pr i nci pl es of Rel at i vi t y so as t o
embr ace el ect r i cal phenomena.

The Theor y of Rel at i vi t y t hus suppl ement ed r epr esent s t he
l ast wor d i n mat hemat i cal physi cs. I t i s most cer t ai nl y a


t heor et i cal st r uct ur e of over power i ng magni t ude and i mpor t ance.
The t hought i nvol ved i s so f ar r eachi ng t hat i t may be many year s
bef or e t he wor k i s f ul l y appr eci at ed and under st ood.

Ear l y I nvest i gat i ons:

The wr i t er and hi s col l eagues ant i ci pat ed t he pr esent
si t uat i on even as ear l y as 1923, and began at t hat t i me t o
const r uct t he necessar y t heor et i cal br i dge bet ween t he t wo t hen
separ at e phenomena, el ect r i ci t y and gr avi t at i on. The f i r st act ual
demonst r at i on of t he r el at i on was made i n 1924. Obser vat i ons wer e
made of t he i ndi vi dual and combi ned mot i ons of t wo heavy l ead
bal l s whi ch wer e suspended by wi r es 45 cm. apar t . The bal l s wer e
gi ven opposi t e el ect r i cal char ges and t he char ges wer e
mai nt ai ned. Sensi t i ve opt i cal met hods wer e empl oyed i n measur i ng
t he movement s, and as near as coul d be obser ved t he bal l s
appear ed t o behave accor di ng t o t he f ol l owi ng l aw: " Any syst emof
t wo bodi es possesses a mut ual and uni di r ect i onal f or ce ( t ypi cal l y
i n t he l i ne of t he bodi es) whi ch i s di r ect l y pr opor t i onal t o t he
pr oduct of t he masses, di r ect l y pr opor t i onal t o t he pot ent i al
di f f er ence and i nver sel y pr opor t i onal t o t he squar e of t he
di st ance bet ween t hem. "
The pecul i ar r esul t i s t hat t he gr avi t at i onal f i el d of t he
Ear t h had no appar ent connect i on wi t h t he exper i ment . The
gr avi t at i onal f act or s ent er ed t hr ough t he consi der at i on of t he
mass of t he el ect r i f i ed bodi es.

The newl y di scover ed f or ce was qui t e obvi ousl y t he r esul t ant
physi cal ef f ect of an el ect r o- gr avi t at i onal i nt er act i on. I t
r epr esent ed t he f i r st act ual evi dence of t he ver y basi c
r el at i onshi p. The f or ce was named " gr avi t at or act i on" f or want of
a bet t er t er m and t he appar at us or syst em of masses empl oyed was
cal l ed a " gr avi t at or . "




Si nce t he t i me of t he f i r st t est t he appar at us and t he


met hods used have been gr eat l y i mpr oved and si mpl i f i ed. Cel l ul ar
" gr avi t at or s" have t aken t he pl ace of t he l ar ge bal l s of l ead.
Rot at i ng f r ames suppor t i ng t wo and f our gr avi t at or s have made
possi bl e accel er at i on measur ement s. Mol ecul ar gr avi t at or s made of
sol i d bl ocks of massi ve di el ect r i c have gi ven st i l l gr eat er
ef f i ci ency. Rot or s and pendul ums oper at i ng under oi l have
el i mi nat ed at mospher i c consi der at i ons as t o pr essur e, t emper at ur e
and humi di t y. The di st ur bi ng ef f ect s of i oni zat i on, el ect r on
emi ssi on and pur e el ect r o- st at i cs have l i kewi se been car ef ul l y
anal yzed and el i mi nat ed. Fi nal l y af t er many year s of t edi ous wor k
and wi t h r ef i nement of met hods we succeeded i n obser vi ng t he
gr avi t at i onal var i at i ons pr oduced by t he moon and sun and much
smal l er var i at i ons pr oduced by t he di f f er ent pl anet s. I t i s a
cur i ous f act t hat t he ef f ect s ar e most pr onounced when t he
af f ect i ng body i s i n t he al i gnment of t he di f f er ent l y char ged
el ement s and l east pr onounced when i t i s at r i ght angl es.

Much of t he cr edi t f or t hi s r esear ch i s due t o Dr . Paul
Bi ef i el d, Di r ect or of Swazey Obser vat or y. The wr i t er i s deepl y
i ndebt ed t o hi m f or hi s assi st ance and f or hi s many val uabl e and
t i mel y suggest i ons.

Gr avi t at or Act i on an I mpul se:

Let us t ake, f or exampl e, t he case of a gr avi t at or t ot al l y
i mmer sed i n oi l but suspended so as t o act as a pendul um and
swi ng al ong t he l i ne of i t s el ement s.



When t he di r ect cur r ent wi t h hi gh vol t age ( 75- 300 ki l ovol t s)
i s appl i ed t he gr avi t at or swi ngs up t he ar c unt i l i t s pr opul si ve
f or ce bal ances t he f or ce of t he ear t h' s gr avi t y r esol ved t o t hat
poi nt , t hen i t st ops, but i t does not r emai n t her e. The pendul um


t hen gr adual l y r et ur ns t o t he ver t i cal or st ar t i ng posi t i on even
whi l e t he pot ent i al i s mai nt ai ned. The pendul um swi ngs onl y t o
one si de of t he ver t i cal . Less t han f i ve seconds i s r equi r ed f or
t he t est pendul umt o r each t he maxi mumampl i t ude of t he swi ng but
f r om t hi r t y t o ei ght y seconds ar e r equi r ed f or i t t o r et ur n t o
zer o.



The t ot al t i me or dur at i on of t he i mpul se var i es wi t h such
cosmi c condi t i ons as t he r el at i ve posi t i on and di st ance of t he
moon, sun and so f or t h. I t i s i n no way af f ect ed by f l uct uat i ons
i n t he suppl i ed vol t age and aver ages t he same f or ever y mass or
mat er i al under t est . The dur at i on of t he i mpul se i s gover ned
sol el y by t he condi t i on of t he gr avi t at i onal f i el d. I t i s a val ue
whi ch i s unaf f ect ed by changes i n t he exper i ment al set - up,
vol t age appl i ed or t ype of gr avi t at or empl oyed. Any number of
di f f er ent ki nds of gr avi t at or s oper at i ng si mul t aneousl y on wi del y
di f f er ent vol t ages woul d r eveal exact l y t he same i mpul se dur at i on
at any i nst ant . Over an ext ended per i od of t i me al l gr avi t at or s
woul d show equal var i at i ons i n t he dur at i on of t he i mpul se.





Af t er t he gr avi t at or i s once f ul l y di schar ged, i t s i mpul se
exhaust ed, t he el ect r i cal pot ent i al must be r emoved f or at l east
f i ve mi nut es i n or der t hat i t may r echar ge i t sel f and r egai n i t s
nor mal gr avi t i c condi t i on. The ef f ect i s much l i ke t hat of
di schar gi ng and char gi ng a st or age bat t er y, except t hat
el ect r i ci t y i s handl ed i n a r ever se manner . When t he dur at i on of
t he i mpul se i s gr eat t he t i me r equi r ed f or compl et e r echar ge i s
l i kewi se gr eat . The t i mes of di schar ge and r echar ge ar e al ways
pr opor t i onal . Techni cal l y speaki ng, t he exo- gr avi t i c r at e and t he
endo- gr avi t i c r at e ar e pr opor t i onal t o t he gr avi t i c capaci t y.

Summi ng up t he obser vat i ons of t he el ect r o- gr avi t i c pendul um
t he f ol l owi ng char act er i st i cs ar e not ed:

APPLI ED VOLTAGE det er mi nes onl y t he ampl i t ude of t he swi ng.

APPLI ED AMPERAGE i s onl y suf f i ci ent t o over come l eakage and
mai nt ai n t he r equi r ed vol t age t hr ough t he l osses of t he
di el ect r i c. Thus t he t ot al l oad appr oxi mat es on 37 t en- mi l l i ont hs
of an amper e. I t appar ent l y has no ot her r el at i on t o t he movement
at l east f r omt he pr esent st at e of physi cs.

MASS of t he di el ect r i c i s a f act or i n det er mi ni ng t he t ot al
ener gy i nvol ved i n t he i mpul se. For a gi ven ampl i t ude an i ncr ease
i n mass i s pr oduct i ve of an i ncr ease i n t he ener gy exhi bi t ed by
t he syst em( E = mg) .

DURATI ON OF THE I MPULSE wi t h el ect r i cal condi t i ons mai nt ai ned


i s i ndependent of al l of t he f or egoi ng f act or s. I t i s gover ned
sol el y by ext er nal gr avi t at i onal condi t i ons, posi t i ons of t he
moon, sun, et c. , and r epr esent s t he t ot al ener gy or summat i on of
ener gy val ues whi ch ar e ef f ect i ve at t hat i nst ant .



GRAVI TATI ONAL ENERGY LEVELS ar e obser vabl e as t he pendul um
r et ur ns f r omt he maxi mumdef l ect i on t o t he zer o poi nt or ver t i cal
posi t i on. The pendul um hesi t at es i n i t s r et ur n movement on
def i ni t e l evel s or st eps. The r el at i ve posi t i on and i nf l uence of
t hese st eps var y cont i nuousl y ever y mi nut e of t he day. One st ep
or ener gy val ue cor r esponds i n ef f ect t o each cosmi c body t hat i s
i nf l uenci ng t he el ect r i f i ed mass or gr avi t at or . By mer el y t r aci ng
a successi on of val ues over a per i od of t i me a f ai r l y
i nt el l i gi bl e r ecor d of t he pat hs and t he r el at i ve gr avi t at i onal
ef f ect s of t he moon, sun, et c. , may be obt ai ned.

I n gener al t hen, ever y mat er i al body possesses i nher ent l y
wi t hi n i t s subst ance separ at e and di st i nct ener gy l evel s
cor r espondi ng t o t he gr avi t at i onal i nf l uences of ever y ot her
body. t hese l evel s ar e r eadi l y r eveal ed as t he el ect r o- gr avi t i c
i mpul se di es and as t he t ot al gr avi t i c cont ent of t he body i s
sl owl y r el eased.





The gr avi t at or , i n al l r eal i t y, i s a ver y ef f i ci ent el ect r i c
mot or . Unl i ke ot her f or ms of mot or s i t does not i n any way
i nvol ve t he pr i nci pl es of el ect r omagnet i sm, but i nst ead i t
ut i l i zes t he newer pr i nci pl es of el ect r o- gr avi t at i on. A si mpl e
gr avi t at or has no movi ng par t s but i s appar ent l y capabl e of
movi ng i t sel f f r om wi t hi n i t sel f . i t i s hi ghl y ef f i ci ent f or t he
r eason t hat i t uses no gear s, shaf t s, pr opel l er s or wheel s i n
cr eat i ng i t s mot i ve power . I t has no i nt er nal r esi st ance and no
obser vabl e r i se i n t emper at ur e. Cont r ar y t o t he common bel i ef
t hat gr avi t at i onal mot or s must necessar i l y be ver t i cal - act i ng t he
gr avi t at or , i t i s f ound, act s equal l y wel l i n ever y concei vabl e
di r ect i on.

Whi l e t he gr avi t at or i s at pr esent pr i mar i l y a sci ent i f i c
i nst r ument , per haps even an ast r onomi cal i nst r ument , i t al so i s
r api dl y advanci ng t o a posi t i on of commer ci al val ue. Mul t i -
i mpul se gr avi t at or s wei ghi ng hundr eds of t ons may pr opel t he
ocean l i ner s of t he f ut ur e. Smal l er and mor e concent r at ed uni t s
may pr opel aut omobi l es and even ai r pl anes. Per haps even t he
f ant ast i c " space car s" and t he pr omi sed vi si t t o Mar s may be t he
f i nal out come. Who can t el l ?