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NEWS & TECHNOLOGY
Gravitational
waves could be
tractor beams
THE ripples in space-time caused
by the motions of massive objects
could act like sci-fi tractor beams and
pull things along.
We already know that a rotating
beam of light can trap tiny particles
FRANK MUCKENHEIM/PLAINPICTURE Nobel prize in physics was awarded
and move them around – this year’s
for related research.
This works because particles
essentially get stuck between peaks
of the light wave as it propagates
forward, like a surfer riding a swell.
As the rotating wave turns, it acts like
His team looked at 45 people
Hot baths could with depression, about half a sort of whirlpool of light, trapping
the particle in place.
of whom were taking Iwo Bialynicki-Birula at the Polish
reduce depression antidepressant medicines, Academy of Sciences and Szymon
which they continued with.
Charzynski at the University of
People were randomly allocated Warsaw calculated that the same
to either twice-weekly exercise thing could happen with a rotating
Clare Wilson that there is not enough of sessions or thermal therapy. beam of space-time ripples, also
a brain-signalling molecule The bathing involved going to known as gravitational waves.
LONG soaks in a hot bath could called serotonin, because a spa to soak in a pool at 40°C for An object could get stuck in a swell
help with depression. A small antidepressants seem to boost up to 30 minutes, then getting out of increased gravity, and rotation of
study has found that afternoon levels of this compound. and wrapping up with blankets the wave would trap it there. “When
baths just twice a week produce Another suspect is disturbed and hot water bottles for another something gets trapped, it is like it is
a moderate but persistent lift to circadian rhythm, the physical 20 minutes. After two weeks, in the eye of the gravitational wave
mood. The size of the benefit was and biochemical changes that some people chose to carry on hurricane,” says Bialynicki-Birula
similar to that seen with physical happen to our bodies over the day. with the routine at home, while (arxiv.org/abs/1810.02219v1).
exercise, which is a recommended Your body temperature would the rest continued with it at Such a gravity vortex would
therapy for mild or moderate normally rise in the morning, the spa. The baths raised body probably be produced when a pair
depression. peak in the afternoon, then temperature by nearly 2°C. of black holes or other enormous
The method could work dip back down when you sleep, After eight weeks, the hot-bath objects orbit one another, he says.
because raising body following a wave-like curve treatment reduced symptoms by All the gravitational waves we have
temperature in the afternoon with a difference of about a 1°C about 6 points on a commonly observed came from systems like
helps restore the normal circadian between day and night. used depression scale, down from this, where orbiting black holes or
rhythm of temperature, which an average starting place of 21, neutron stars spiralled inwards and
is often disturbed in people “ Afternoon baths just while the exercise programme smashed together.
with depression. The baths also twice a week produce lowered it by about 3 points. There is just one problem, says
improved people’s sleep patterns. a moderate but persistent The baths also started working Lionel London at Cardiff University,
Depression is one of the most lift to mood” within two weeks, unlike exercise, UK. For a tractor beam to do anything,
common mental-health issues say the authors in their paper it needs something to grab hold of,
and is usually treated with But if you have depression, the (bioRxiv, doi.org/cvzv). but black holes tend to sweep away
antidepressants and talking cycle may be flatter, erratic or Nick Stafford, a psychiatrist at or suck in surrounding matter.
therapy. However, the medication delayed by a few hours causing the Black Country Partnership Neutron star systems may host
may cause side effects, and a the peak to occur later in the day. NHS Foundation Trust, UK, says additional matter that could be
course of talking therapy can be So Johannes Naumann at the approach makes sense given available to be stuck in a gravitational
expensive, sometimes with long the University of Freiburg in what happens to circadian wave tractor beam, he says, but it
waiting lists in the UK National Germany and his colleagues rhythms in depression. “I’m not isn’t certain the gravitational waves
Health Service, for instance. wondered if a timely hot bath surprised they found a benefit, generated by a neutron star would
The root cause of depression could nudge the cycle back into I’m just surprised no one has be powerful enough to trap anything.
is unclear. The dominant view is rhythm and improve mood. tried doing this before.” ■ Leah Crane ■
14 | NewScientist | 27 October 2018
