This ladybug is trying to fly, but she's trapped by the ultrasound field in which she has been . . . yes . . . levitated:
[Materials physicist Wenjun] 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.
After the investigators got the ultrasound field going, they used tweezers to carefully place animals between the emitter and reflector. The scientists found they could float ants, beetles, spiders, ladybugs, bees, tadpoles and fish up to a little more than a third of an inch long in midair. When they levitated the fish and tadpole, the researchers added water to the ultrasound field every minute via syringe.
Source: Live Science
What a Godsend for Ladybugs everywhere.. Never will they have to tire their wings with old fashioned flight again..
Posted by: Jake | November 29, 2006 at 02:39 PM