"Model for Early Anti-gravity Platform"
17th century CE;
17 cm ~ brass, gold, nullgravium, steel, glass
The discovery of nullgravium in 1598 led to widespread attempts to harness its force for practical purposes. Many fanciful models were developed during the 17th century, a typical one being shown in the photo. This has the usual skyhook for loads, the operator's cage high enough for good visibility, a rotating directional arrow and an embedded compass for navigation. The person depicted at the top of the column is solely to show the scale of a full-sized platform.
Full-size floating platforms were popular for personal transport and as cargo carriers, despite their instability in high winds, the impracticality of using them over the open sea, and the limited altitude, which never exceeded 17 feet (5 meters) in spite of unceasing efforts to ultra-purify nullgravium.
The invention of the steam engine in 1796 drew attention from nullgravium platforms and by the middle of the 19th century they were merely curiosities. Only a few floating models remain in museums to remind us of the once-familiar technology.
