Could Sound Make You Levitate?
The Rest Is Science
Inventing Useless But Fascinating Machines
Michael and Hannah imagine whimsical devices: a titration clock and long-duration hourglasses like the pitch drop.
Imagine: a series of objects floating in midair without magnets, strings or visible supports. With acoustic levitation sound waves alone can suspend droplets, beads and even small solids to seemingly defy gravity!
In this episode of Field Notes, Hannah shows Michael this astonishing device, revealing how precisely tuned sound can manipulate matter. Behind the mesmerising floating objects lies a combination of physics, mathematics, and engineering that turns vibrations into invisible hands.
How do sound waves create stable points in space? What can acoustic levitation teach us about controlling particles, studying delicate chemical reactions, or even exploring new materials? And why does watching something float so effortlessly feel like glimpsing...a little magic?
Welcome to The Rest Is Science: Field Notes.
Every Thursday, Hannah and Michael rummage through their personal troves of scientific treasure and source discoveries that explain our understanding the universe, oddities that scramble our brains, objects that hint at forces we’ll never see...and a few things that are essentially just plain cool.
Expect deep dives into the science behind each pick, the spark that grabbed their attentions, and the sheer delight they get from sharing it all with you.
They’ll also be tackling your questions, so email The Rest Is Science at therestisscience@goalhanger.com.
You can watch the Pitch Feed experiment live, here.
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For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit https://cancerresearchuk.org/restisscience
Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ.
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Find The Rest Is Science all over the internet by clicking here.
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Video Producer: Adam Thornton
Video & Social: Bex Tyrrell
Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott
Producer: Becki Hills
Senior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-Carter
Head Of Digital: Samuel Oakley
Exec Producer: Neil Fearn
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