Chapter 8 - Acoustic Levitation

In our journey through the fascinating realm of acoustics, we stumble upon a perplexing notion - sound having mass that defies gravity. But before diving into the speculative realm, let's establish a scientific foundation.

The Gravity-Defying Sound Claims

A bold claim circulates suggesting that sound has an anti-gravity effect, with proponents advocating its potential in reducing gravitational effects. The Sound of Creation article explores this intriguing concept. However, scientific consensus asserts there is no evidence supporting the idea that sound possesses anti-gravity properties. Sound, a mechanical wave traveling through a medium like air, interacts with objects through forces related to its own characteristics rather than gravity.

Exploring Acoustic Levitation

Enthusiasts seek ways to manipulate objects using sound through acoustic levitation devices. These devices utilize the physical properties of sound waves to exert force on objects, allowing them to defy gravity momentarily.

The World of Acoustic Tweezers

Moving beyond levitation, acoustic tweezers find applications in manipulating tiny objects, ranging from cell separation to nanomaterial manipulation. This innovative technology leverages the precision of sound waves to control sub-millimeter entities.

Mid-Air Acoustic Tweezers

Researchers explore mid-air acoustic tweezers that enable non-contact pickup of objects using multi-channel controlled ultrasonic transducer arrays. This development promises new possibilities in manipulating objects with enhanced precision.

SoundBender: An Acoustic Tractor Beam

Taking inspiration from science fiction, a team at the University of Sussex introduces SoundBender, an acoustic tractor beam. By combining an ultrasound transducer array with an acoustic metamaterial, this device can bend sound around obstacles to levitate objects on the other side.

The Resonance of Tolstoy's Hayfield

'The peasant women, with their rakes on their shoulders, gay with bright flowers, and chattering with ringing, merry voices, walked behind the hay cart. One wild untrained female voice broke into a song, and sang it alone through a verse, and then the same verse was taken up and repeated by half a hundred strong healthy voices, of all sorts, coarse and fine, singing in unison. The women, all singing, began to come close to Levin, and he felt as though a storm were swooping down upon him with a thunder of merriment. The storm swooped down, enveloped him and the haycock on which he was lying, and the other haycocks, and the wagon-loads, and the whole meadow and distant fields all seemed to be shaking and singing to the measures of this wild merry song with its shouts and whistles and clapping.' (Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, 1877)

Acoustic Levitation experiments with water

Neurons connecting

Cymatics

Maya

Just a really elevating track! Composed by Ian Clarke together with his band from back in the day of the likes of Jethro Tull and Paul Horn, who experimented with sound in architecture such as the Giza Pyramid and Taj Mahal. I wish to continue this research.