Magnetic lube

F'ing magnets, here's how they work - providing lubrication. h/t ToughSf.

ToughSf asserts that lower alpha can be had through higher r/s or "rpm" for al-Biruni's base-sixty phonograph. That r/s depends on frictionless ball-bearings. But ball-bearings are NOT without friction; hence, lube. But-but whut-whut oil-based lubrication is, like, greasy and gets outside of where you want. Sometimes you want a good grip. In the meantime the grease has left the bearings. So they don't use this in - for instance - spacecraft. At least not easily.

If you could enforce boundaries without KY Jelly (or whatever), you can get your bearings to roll for longer. Inasmuch as "longer" is a function of total rotations - the "r" - they might also roll faster.

Celeroton see the previous magnetic limit as 2000 r/s and are promising to push over four times that; maybe even 10000 r/s.