Going Against the Flow: the Physics of Tractor Beams

Synopsis

The “tractor beam” is a well-known piece of science fiction technology able to move and transport objects using only a collimated beam. Physicists have been working for many years to bring the tractor beam into the realm of science fact by tackling the question: how can we use a beam to move an object in the opposite direction to the beam’s propagation? This talk will mention the early theories of creating a tractor beam, outline some experiments conducted to create a tractor beam, and will finally suggest some possible applications for the technology that are maybe more realistic than abducting cows.