Finally! After reigning on its promise of cyborgs and jet-packs science has produced something worthwhile.
The boffins at the University of Bristol say that a working model of the Doctor’s trusty sonic screwdriver could be a made using existing technology- although it won’t be used to defend the galaxy, more likely to be used to put up book shelves… unless the Daleks destroy the world, in which case they may be used to build their glorious new regime.
Using a powerful ultrasonic sound waves engineers believe that enough force could be generated to manipulate screws. Ultrasonic waves are already being used in manufacturing to fix objects together while in the medical field the technology is used to separate healthy and diseased cells from one another.
Professor of Ultrasonics Bruce Drinkwater said:
“Doctor Who’s adventures have captured the imaginations of millions, young and old. And, however far fetched the Time Lord’s encounters may seem, there are engineers and scientists out there who are using their skills to bring the magic to life.”
Professor Drinkwater has teamed up with the Big Bang Fair to inspire young people to get into science and engineering. The event, set to take place in March 2011, includes interactive shows and workshops and live events from the BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory and Sky 1′s Brainiac.
Tickets for the event are available now.
(via Daily Mail)
