BBC Focus Magazine

[Shadowwolf]

It seems that there may just be something to the high tech tow line of the far future.

'Tractor beams' of light that pull objects towards them are no longer science fiction. Haifeng Wang at the A*STAR Data Storage Institute and co-workers have now demonstrated how a tractor beam can in fact be realized on a small scale.

Tractor beams are a well-known concept in science fiction. These rays of light are often shown pulling objects towards an observer, seemingly violating the laws of physics, and of course, such beams have yet to be realised in the real world. Haifeng Wang at the A*STAR Data Storage Institute and co-workers have now demonstrated how a tractor beam can in fact be realized on a small scale. "Our work demonstrates a tractor beam based only on a single laser to pull or push an object of interest toward the light source," says Wang.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134527.htm

[M Paul Lloyd]

Interesting that light should both push and pull objects? Just when I thought I had the whole Light-Sail concept pinned down.

Also I don't actually recall anyone in any science fiction setting, in either print, film or indeed on the old wireless, saying what tractor beams were composed of at all and rather it was left up to ones imagination?

[Shadowwolf]

Also I don't actually recall anyone in any science fiction setting, in either print, film or indeed on the old wireless, saying what tractor beams were composed of at all...

A superimposed subspace / graviton emitter that can focus the interference patterns created at the target, well, that's how Trek 'splains it at least.

[M Paul Lloyd]

Must have been a TNG thing.

[Shadowwolf]

That's the one.

[nemisis1960]

Also I don't actually recall anyone in any science fiction setting, in either print, film or indeed on the old wireless, saying what tractor beams were composed of at all...

A superimposed subspace / graviton emitter that can focus the interference patterns created at the target, well, that's how Trek 'splains it at least.

Must have been a TNG thing.

That's the one.

damn beat me to it