Is tractor beams possible?

[sscadmin]

From what some scientists are saying its 'yes'.http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20193-treklike-tractor-beam-is-possible.htmlhttp://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/09/tiny-tractor-beams-gain-a-thir.htmlI know in most of the examples given they are playing with molecules but it is a start. Do I think we will be seeing trucks hauling freight with no trailer hitch any time soon... 'no'. Just nice to know that maybe I will see this type of tech before I am too old.

[Brianetta]

What on Earth is wrong with good old-fashioned electromagnets? (-:

[Bullwinkle]

DarkOne wrote:
From what some scientists are saying its 'yes'.
Using photons to move an object is interesting, but photons = radiation. The amount of photons required to capture a fleeing shuttle craft would probably burn a hole through it.Electromagnets are very strong, of course, but their range is very short. A more effective tractor beam might use gravitons to manipulate the relative mass of two objects. This would be similar to creating a warp bubble, so the technology would no doubt exist on the Enterprise. And gravity is very effective, even at great distance.The big challenge, as I see it, is to figure out a way to focus a graviton beam over a distance, so that you do not attract everything in the solar system along with your target object.Well, plus, we would have to discover gravitons, first, of course.

[Brianetta]

Bullwinkle wrote:
A more effective tractor beam might use gravitons to manipulate the relative mass of two objects. This would be similar to creating a warp bubble, so the technology would no doubt exist on the Enterprise.
This was where you indicated and pulled off the reality highway. (-:

[bertipa]

Unfortunately graviton is at best an hypothetical particle.How gravity works is one of the greatest mysteries on which our best brains are working on.I have the feeling that tractor beam and reactionless drive are those nice things that really can't work but who knows, post-singularity clarcketech will be able to do miracles, unfortunately for us we will not understand how.