Scientists at Brigham Young University have found a way to create amazing 3D holograms in mid-air by using lasers and a tractor beam that manipulates near-invisible particles in the air.

However, researchers at the Australian National University have developed a "tractor beam" (really, a wave generator) that would make it trivial for you to float anything to its intended destination.

That’s a far cry from previous tractor beam technologies, which required phased arrays of more than 50 sound channels, with each made up of a signal generator and an amplifier.

Physicists have created a tractor beam on water, providing a radical new technique that could confine oil spills, manipulate floating objects or explain rips at the beach.

DENVER, March 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- For centuries, farmers have turned to almanacs — part guide, part inspiration — to navigate the seasons and plan for what's ahead. Tractor Beam is a new ...

Imagine a tool capable of moving cells and microparticles without physical contact, utilizing only light. It’s like a sci-fi tractor beam, except it’s much more precise and operates at a much ...

A water-based tractor beam that could contain oil spills and manipulate floating objects cannot yet be explained by mathematical theory. Michelle Starr is CNET's science editor, and she hopes to ...

ASIER MARZO: The thing is that, when we created the first acoustic tractor beam, it was a very complex system. It had 64 speakers and each speaker had its own amplifier and its own cell a signal ...

Scientists may have discovered how to create a real-life tractor beam using electromagnetic radiation that can draw particles toward it. The result is something very … The post Scientists might ...

A tractor beam which can push and pull particles could be scaled up and used to control the flow of air pollution. Monday 20 October 2014 08:55, UK.

The result is something very akin to the tractor beam seen in science fiction media like Star Wars. Further, the scientists say they may have found a way to make it more portable.