Professor Gong Lei from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), in collaboration with Professor Qiu Chengwei from the National University of Singapore, have achieved a groundbreaking advancement with the development of a novel single-beam '3D optical spanner.' This revolutionary tool employs a single, focused laser beam to exert three-dimensional (3D) optical torque on microparticles, enabling dynamic 3D rotation manipulation of these particles and significantly enhancing the capabilities of optical tweezers technology. This technique not only facilitates full-degree-of-freedom manipulation of microparticles using laser light but also elevates the 3D translation manipulation capabilities of optical tweezers, allowing for simultaneous 3D translation and rotation manipulation. Remarkably, this innovation has already been successfully applied to the 3D rotation manipulation of individual living cells. It is anticipated that this breakthrough will propel advancements in diverse fields, including cellular 3D tomography, optical sensing, and micro-robotics.