Talk:Tractor beam

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Image:WikiWorld_icon.JPG Tractor beam was featured in a WikiWorld cartoon:
(click image to the right for full size version.)

Questions:

  1. Why the word TRACTOR?
  2. What is the first episode or book or story that uses this term?

Kingturtle 15:52, 18 May 2005 (UTC)

"Tractor" was originally short for "attractor". I believe the earliest use was in a story by E. E. Smith, but I could be wrong. SpaceCaptain 23:28, 18 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Tractor Nomenclature

Tractors pull things. Perhaps derivative of 'traction.'

It would be very interesting to learn who coined this term.

[edit] gravity gun

This is a pitiful merge. No information from the gravity gun page is here, the term gravity gun is not used once here. The usage of the gravity gun doesn't even feature here, as most tractor beams aren't used to fling chairs at your enemy. The gravity gun is an award winning game weapon made possible by new physics engines. It is more notable than most things mentioned on this page. 66.41.66.213 02:01, 26 September 2006 (UTC)