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☖ Forums → Discussion Forum → Tractor Beams
Tractor Beams
2010-09-08, 5:00 PM #1
http://www.physorg.com/news203157529.html

Alas, it cannot work in outer-space.
You can't judge a book by it's file size
2010-09-08, 5:06 PM #2
Tractor Beams, how the **** do they work?
2010-09-08, 5:08 PM #3
****in' neato Deadman, thanks for posting this.
2010-09-08, 6:39 PM #4
Excellent. Now I just need to mount one of these in my belt buckle.
And when the moment is right, I'm gonna fly a kite.
2010-09-08, 6:54 PM #5
We can't repel a tractor beam of that magnitude!
My JK Level Design | 2005 JK Hub Level Pack (Plexus) | Massassi Levels
2010-09-08, 7:01 PM #6
Correct me if I'm wrong, but how is this really a tractor beam at all? All it's doing is heating air up and pushing very small particles around using the heated air.
2010-09-08, 7:16 PM #7
woosh
Bassoon, n. A brazen instrument into which a fool blows out his brains.
2010-09-08, 7:18 PM #8
Originally posted by Cool Matty:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but how is this really a tractor beam at all? All it's doing is heating air up and pushing very small particles around using the heated air.


What the hell is 'really' a tractor beam?
2010-09-08, 7:42 PM #9
Originally posted by saberopus:
What the hell is 'really' a tractor beam?


Well in every instance I've ever seen it described (where the term "tractor beam" even comes from) in sci fi is something that's at least capable of PULLING an object towards the device.

This can't do that. So I mean, why name it after a sci fi device that it's nothing like?
2010-09-08, 8:02 PM #10
It's a beam that remotely manipulates and moves an object.
2010-09-08, 8:05 PM #11
Wikipedia's a lot more restrictive and on my side, but whatever. Not worth arguing over.
2010-09-08, 8:07 PM #12
Indeed, "tractor" refers, by definition, to pulling. (Etymologically, too, it comes from the Latin trahere, tractus, which means "to pull".)
2010-09-08, 9:41 PM #13
"OH NO, SHE'S GONE FROM SUCK TO BLOW."
Attachment: 24312/images.jpg (5,829 bytes)
He who controls the spice controls the universe-
2010-09-09, 4:56 AM #14
[http://www.freethunk.net/nickkim/tractorbeam.jpg]
nope.
2010-09-09, 5:30 AM #15
I always assumed they were magnetic... considering it's always pulling in some huge ship, to some other, larger ship.
Quote Originally Posted by FastGamerr
"hurr hairy guy said my backhair looks dumb hurr hairy guy smash"
2010-09-09, 8:18 AM #16
if they were magnetic you'd think people would design non-magnetic ships
eat right, exercise, die anyway
2010-09-09, 8:53 AM #17
And if they were magnetic you'd think they'd have trouble with grabbing all sorts of random crap in addition to the object they're looking for.

Besides, magnetism has a really short falloff for its strength.
2010-09-09, 5:03 PM #18
I always thought they should have trouble grabbing random crap in addition anyway. Whatever else is within the beam should surely get pulled, bits of rock and whatnot.
You can't judge a book by it's file size
2010-09-10, 5:21 AM #19
Well, we are talking sci-fi here...

They just figured out how to create a black hole and then focus the gravity well in one direction without worrying about being swallowed up themselves...

/meh
Quote Originally Posted by FastGamerr
"hurr hairy guy said my backhair looks dumb hurr hairy guy smash"
2010-09-10, 7:08 AM #20
Originally posted by KOP_AoEJedi:
Well, we are talking sci-fi here...

They just figured out how to create a black hole and then focus the gravity well in one direction without worrying about being swallowed up themselves...

/meh


You've probably got the right idea, honestly - especially since control over gravity would explain so many other sci-fi technologies. Warp drive, deflector shields, etc.
Stuff
2010-09-10, 7:46 AM #21
They probably just reconfigured a phaser to do it
You can't judge a book by it's file size
2010-09-10, 8:35 AM #22
Originally posted by kyle90:
You've probably got the right idea, honestly - especially since control over gravity would explain so many other sci-fi technologies. Warp drive, deflector shields, etc.


You forgot the most important one, artificial gravity on crafts. It's the primary reason we don't venture deeper into space... Second being money probably.
Quote Originally Posted by FastGamerr
"hurr hairy guy said my backhair looks dumb hurr hairy guy smash"
2010-09-10, 9:53 AM #23
Originally posted by Deadman:
They probably just reconfigured a phaser to do it

No, they reversed the polarity of the neutron flow.
nope.
2010-09-10, 2:03 PM #24
I have a positronic brain
2010-09-10, 8:11 PM #25
Originally posted by Deadman:
They probably just reconfigured a phaser to do it


Yep, it's a simple matter of retuning the phaser to a higher frequency and focusing it with an EPS relay--
Oh-
Wait-
No, no, I'm thinking about force fields.

Dammit, where's Wesley Crusher when you need him?
And when the moment is right, I'm gonna fly a kite.

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