Chinese scientists have recently astonished the world with an unprecedented experiment, as media reports revealed that a maglev (magnetic levitation) train was accelerated to a speed of 700 kilometers per hour in just two seconds – a velocity so extreme that it is difficult to perceive with the naked eye.
According to international media, researchers at China’s National University of Defense Technology conducted the experiment on December 25. The nearly one-ton maglev train was tested on a specially designed 400-meter-long track.
Reports stated that during the trial, the train reached its record-breaking speed within moments and was then brought to a safe stop. Scientists described it as the fastest superconducting electric maglev train ever developed, noting that a team of engineers had been working on the project for the past 10 years.
Earlier this year in January, the same train achieved a speed of 648 kilometers per hour on the same track. However, by surpassing the 700 km/h mark, it has now set a new global record.
Maglev trains do not touch the track
One of the defining features of maglev trains is that they do not make physical contact with the track. A video of the experiment has also surfaced, showing the train racing along the track at lightning speed, leaving behind a faint mist.
The footage demonstrates how powerful magnets lift the train into the air and propel it forward. Since there is no contact between wheels and track, friction is virtually eliminated, allowing the train to travel at extremely high speeds.
Scientists involved in the project stated that this technology could potentially be used in the future for launching rockets. If adapted for passenger transport, they added, it could reduce travel time between major cities to just a few minutes.
