A metamaterial is a composite material that exhibits unique properties due to its structure, and now researchers have used one featuring a small sawtooth pattern on its surface to move and position ...

Researchers have succeeded in directing floating objects around an aquatic obstacle course using only soundwaves. Their novel, optics-inspired method holds great promise for biomedical applications ...

It may seem straight out of “Star Trek,” but it’s real: Scientists have created a sonic “tractor beam” that can pull, push and pirouette objects that levitate in thin air. The sonic tractor beam ...

An artist's rendering shows an acoustic hologram trapping a particle over a levitation device. Courtesy Asier Marzo, Bruce Drinkwater and Sriram Subramanian It's no Mattel hoverboard. But a device ...

Ultrasonic sound waves have been used to levitate objects in crowded rooms to make hologram-like displays. Such acoustic levitation was previously only practical in empty spaces, but a new algorithm ...

Physically, sound is just pressure moving through a medium. If you harness that pressure correctly, you can actually push things around using nothing but sound. That's exactly what researchers at ...

It's quick and easy to access Live Science Plus, simply enter your email below. We'll send you a confirmation and sign you up for our daily newsletter, keeping you up to date with the latest science ...