Gravity is very important to us, without it we literally wouldn't be here, not with our feet on the ground.

Overcoming it has been a problem for man for hundreds of years, but have we done it?

There was a lot of exloration and experimentation during the second world war, the Nazi German's built 'Die Glocke' also known as 'The Bell' in the hope it would be able to power a new style of aircraft, a flying saucer! You can see more about Die Glocke and what it was for in that section.

The Americans also experimented with Gravity related devices, one in particular with fatal effects as it caused something that was not expected. Search the net for the Philadelphia Experiment to know more.

Our scientists have not stopped experimenting, trying to find a way to overcome the weak gravitational force but one that has the strength to hold us down on the planet. Below I try to discover if they have succeeded.

The biggest benefit would be in our use of vehicles and the way we travel, Cars; Planes;Trains; Trucks; in fact anything that moves. But there would be other beneficial applications such as the ability to more easily lift and move heavy goods.

Aeroplanes:

would not need to use oil resources in the form of Jet Fuel, instead of requiring runways they could take off vertically from smaller airports, in fact they would not be restricted to airports at all, with the ability of VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) or the ability to hover they could dock anywhere, perhaps in a similar fashion to the old airships using docking towers, making them able to go right into the major Cities of the world.

Trains:

Trains would not be limited to running on tracks, there would be a blending of Train and Aeroplane that could travel above the ground across any terrain including the sea, and they could travel in straighter lines reducing time and fuel. They would no longer need the expensive rail tracks or all the delay making repairs, no more need for tunneling to cross waterways or pass through hills.

Road Vehicles:

Cars and Lorries would no longer need wheels and not need to replace tyres, and the roads they travel would not need the expensive maintenance they currently have. No more delays due to roadworks!. Roadways of any kind would become unnecessary, vehicles would be able to deliver anywhere, even across fields.

Heavy Loads:

Building would become much easier, no need for giant cranes to lift heavy loads. Costs of transporting heavy goods would be reduced if they can somehow make a ten tonne load weigh the same as a box of feathers!. It could have an impact on many things, Lifts for instance.

Of course not, and if the technology does already exist then maybe the drawbacks are the reason its held back!

The benefits gained are in the balance for the issues they would cause and the effects on production. If there is no need for train tracks for instance then the metalwork industries would suffer, and if there was no need for maintained roadways then it would affect a wide range of skills, Tyre manufacturers; Road repair crews; fuel tanker drivers; breakdown services; fuel station employees etc., etc. Unemployment would increase unless skills can be used differently.

There is also perhaps one of the biggest reasons a government would smother such a technological improvement, TAXES!, they would hardly be able to charge 'Road tax' if we did not physically use the road, nor would they gain the taxes from fuel, nor VAT from sale of tyres, wheels, rails, and everything we no longer need.

Of course a 'Fuel source' of some kind would still be needed, and no doubt they would find a way of taxing that!

There has been many claims in the past that it does, and that devices were built, many 'appear' to have overcome gravitational effects, but were these really true and if so what happened to them ?

I think we are getting there, various new ideas and technologies have arisen, but apart from a few ideas that have been put to use  e.g. The Maglev train, they are still very much in the development process.

Unless the Governments are holding it back and smothering its use!