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Acoustic Levitation Works On Small Animals
anthemaniac writes "Researchers for at least two decades have used acoustic levitation to suspend light materials without a container. Wenjun Xie, a materials physicist at Northwestern Polytechnical University in China, has previously used ultrasound fields to levitate globs of iridium and mercury, very heavy materials. Now the scientist has performed the feat with live animals. From the story: 'Xie and his colleagues employed an ultrasound emitter and reflector that generated a sound pressure field between them. The emitter produced roughly 20-millimeter-wavelength sounds, meaning it could in theory levitate objects half that wavelength or less.' Apparently the ants, spiders and ladybugs endured the trick just fine, but the fish didn't do so well due to lack of water."
Indeed. the fact that is reassuring is that there is no invisible harm like with microwaves. Here you will know you use to much energy when bones break...
The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
[blockquote] Indeed. We have this little chestnut to roast too: "...has previously used ultrasound fields to levitate globs of iridium and mercury, very heavy materials." A 1 gram 'glob' of mercury is equal in weight to 1 gram of feathers. Iridium and mercury may have a higher density, but they are not intrinsically heavy. When even the author of an article is confused about basic physical properties you have to worry, IMHO. [/blockquote] Quite simple really, the ability to levitate an object using this method is dependent on its physical dimensions, and obviously a 10mm cube of mercury is much heavier than a 10mm cube of feathers. Lifting a heavier object is harder than lifting a light one, so this IS in fact significant.
Think outside the... Hey, where'd the friggin' box go?