Marco Merma Jara, a professor at the Faculty of Physical Sciences at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, explained on April 28 that Michael Jackson’s famous 45-degree “antigravity” lean is not a natural physical phenomenon but rather a stage technique based on an inventive mechanism.
Merma Jara said this move, which amazed millions worldwide, cannot be performed naturally. “It is humanly impossible; however, at the time it was puzzling to see how Jackson managed to lean forward 45 degrees, keeping his body straight and supported only by his feet, seemingly defying the laws of gravity,” he said.
The professor noted that studies in physics and medicine have shown this movement required technical support beyond human physiological limits. In physical terms, he explained that when standing upright, a person’s center of mass must project vertically within their base of support (the feet) to maintain balance. If the body leans forward and the center of mass passes beyond this base, torque caused by body weight leads to falling. “From physics, weight is expressed as mass times gravity (mg), while torque results from multiplying force by the horizontal distance between the center of mass and point of support. The greater the inclination, the greater is the torque that must be compensated,” Merma Jara said.
Biomechanically, muscles such as those in the calf and stabilizers help prevent falls during leaning. Under normal conditions people can tilt between 20° and 25° without losing balance; exceeding this range makes muscular compensation insufficient for body weight. Jackson’s near-45° tilt surpassed these limits significantly: “At that point muscle strength isn’t enough to compensate for body weight. This is where innovation comes in: using a device allowing redistribution of forces,” he said.
The solution involved special shoes with slots in their heels attaching to pegs fixed on stage floors—creating an extra support point so performers could hold extreme angles without falling over. According to Merma Jara: “The mechanism was patented in 1993 by Jackson himself. It consisted of shoes designed to lock onto metal pegs emerging from the stage floor—providing necessary support for overcoming human limitations.” He concluded: “This iconic step not only demonstrates science applied in entertainment but also creativity and artistic vision—transforming a physical principle into an unforgettable pop culture moment.”
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos promotes cultural and social well-being through initiatives supporting responsibility, equity, inclusion, and sustainable development according to its official website. The university utilizes multiple campuses including its central facility and provincial extensions according to its official website. It leads public universities in rankings from QS, Scimago, and Webometrics according to its official website.
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos operates as an autonomous public entity recognized by Peru’s constitution according to its official website. It offers 81 undergraduate programs along with postgraduate options as well as research opportunities and community outreach according to its official website. The institution focuses on advancing knowledge dissemination alongside national sustainable development goals according to its official website. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos provides diverse academic programs while promoting research engagement; it holds top rankings among public universities globally according to its official website.
