7/4 Posted August 10, 2008 Report Share Posted August 10, 2008 August 10, 2008 Scientists closer to invisibility cloak By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 5:26 p.m. ET WASHINGTON (AP) -- Scientists say they are a step closer to developing materials that could render people and objects invisible. Researchers have demonstrated for the first time they were able to cloak three-dimensional objects using artificially engineered materials that redirect light around the objects. Previously, they only have been able to cloak very thin two-dimensional objects. The findings, by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, led by Xiang Zhang, are to be released later this week in the journals Nature and Science. The new work moves scientists a step closer to hiding people and objects from visible light, which could have broad applications, including military ones. People can see objects because they scatter the light that strikes them, reflecting some of it back to the eye. Cloaking uses materials, known as metamaterials, to deflect radar, light or other waves around an object, like water flowing around a smooth rock in a stream. Metamaterials are mixtures of metal and circuit board materials such as ceramic, Teflon or fiber composite. They are designed to bend visible light in a way that ordinary materials don't. Scientists are trying to use them to bend light around objects so they don't create reflections or shadows. It differs from stealth technology, which does not make an aircraft invisible but reduces the cross-section available to radar, making it hard to track. The research was funded in part by the U.S. Army Research Office and the National Science Foundation's Nano-Scale Science and Engineering Center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robviti Posted August 10, 2008 Report Share Posted August 10, 2008 (edited) quick! notify the office of muggles affairs! Edited August 11, 2008 by jazzshrink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teasing the Korean Posted August 10, 2008 Report Share Posted August 10, 2008 The Philadelphia Experiment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papsrus Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 I'm not sure I'm comfortable with THIS! ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willard Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Nothing conceptually new http://www.hammerfilms.com/acatalog/Dracula_Cloak.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmoose Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 The new work moves scientists a step closer to hiding people and objects from visible light, which could have broad applications, including military ones. Forget the military ones, let's talk about broads, baby! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Storer Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 Won't do any good in the women's showers. They'll all be showering under invisibility cloaks. Although, what with all the invisibility, you might end up bumping into each other. Could be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted O'Reilly Posted August 11, 2008 Report Share Posted August 11, 2008 They'll all be showering under invisibility cloaks. Hmm. How does the water get in? If there's no water, there's no suds. I like suds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papsrus Posted August 12, 2008 Report Share Posted August 12, 2008 They'll all be showering under invisibility cloaks. Hmm. How does the water get in? If there's no water, there's no suds. I like suds. I told you this was bad news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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