Where would Harry be without his invisibility cloak?
In detention, in Snape’s office, most likely.
What once was considered magical is now scientific reality, as scientists just figured out how to hide more stuff in broad daylight. There have been invisibility devices of a sort before: a fancy projection system (think the green screen weatherman) that worked like optical camouflage to render you invisible; stealth technology that made an F-117A bomber look like a pigeon on radar (although I never understood why a pigeon moving at Mach speeds wouldn’t be, well, suspicious).
But more recently, scientists have been cooking up metamaterials that can literally bend electromagetic waves (using nano materials that interacted at tiny size scales with the waves). But those generally only worked on small objects and only masked microwaves and infrared light. Which is great if you’re trying to hide a button from a lizard, but hiding wayward young wizards from their possibly evil wizard instructors was a ways off.
Still the idea of bending light was a major breakthrough.
Well, those scientists have been busy, and now use these metamaterials bend light at all wavelengths, including visible light, making it truly possible to hide something in broad daylight (at least from our eyes or other visual detectors). These are true cloaking devices. Now simply coating an object with the right material can hide it from view.
I’m waiting for them to figure out how to apply it to a blanket that is light weight enough to sneak into the library.
The only question would be, do you call it an invisibility cloak? Because I think we need a new name for the real thing.
Suggestions?
Sounds pretty cool. Harry is so young in that picture! 🙂
Thanks for the invisibility update, Susan, who knows when we might need it?
Suggestion for the invisibility cloak name – Hyda (hide-ah) (as in 'get your hyda, we're going to the rough side of town')
The only problem I can see is if the bad guys get a invisibility cloak too. I do love to hear about science bringing our space and magic fantasies to reality.
Correction: an invisibility cloak. (note: Brain needs more coffee).
@Laura I know! Daniel Radcliffe is all grown up now. Not sure I'm okay with that. 🙂
@DG Hyda! Nice! I love the slangyness of it! And yeah, I like to get my geek on sometimes. 🙂
Too cool. I imagine the army will get it long before it gets released elsewhere…but still a pretty incredible development. Soon movie magic will have real-life applications!
Wow that sounds awesome!
One of the few cool things about the movie "The Fantastic Four" was that it used this same principle for invisibility…bending light around an object (i.e. Sue Richards).
The best science fiction stems from science fact!
That is cool. And there's definitely a lot of potential behind such technology.
Sounds so interesting, Susan. Put me in for one when the technology becomes available 😉
wow what cool technology.
Susan, I follow your blog already, but looking forward to being even more connected as a fellow campaigner 🙂
Oh, I would love to have an invisibility cloak. As soon as scientists work that out, think they could get me a real flying broomstick? 🙂
Munk Davis should comment on this post. I'm gonna go tell him because he uses this type of technology in his book.
Thanks for the note Mike.
Susan, this is a terrific post. Pigeons at mach speeds… shades of Jonathon Livingston Seagull.
I describe using meta materials for hiding from light in my current MS, "Syntropy", I call it Nanohyde.
@Ava I think movies/books have inspired a lot of scientists! 🙂
@Joanna Yay for campaigners! I'm getting my blog roll set up, so I can keep track! 🙂
@Michael Thanks for alerting Munk!
And
@Munk Oh, I haven't thought of Jonathan Livingston Seagull in so long! And Syntropy! Nanohyde! Pure awesome. Maybe we can swap MS's some day! 🙂
Cool stuff, though there are far too many nefarious possibilities to make it readily available to the public…think of all the teen boys hiding in corners of girls' locker rooms hoping no one bumps into their invisible selves.
Am I crazy for wondering what all these technological advances will do to us? I can't help thinking they'll cause major health problems. Am I being paranoid?
@Kelly I'm more of a technophile that most, so I generally think that any adverse affects from technology are usually compensated quickly…by other technology. I may be biased. 🙂
So cool! Exciting!!
Re: mach speed pigeons. I would guess the radar software is programmed not to bother the operator with anything smaller than an airplane, regardless of speed. Otherwise the radar screen would be a mess of tiny bird-sized dots.
That said, it would be easy to reprogram radar software to detect mach speeds. I'd expect the military to figure that out.
@Adam What's the average speed of an unladen sparrow? Wait…that's not what we're talking about. LOL (sorry, couldn't resist)
Now, I'm going to have to go look that up…be right back…
Ok.
Turns out we now have bird detecting radar! (will wonders never cease?)
Apparently older radar systems use long wave radar (where the wave is bigger than the bird) and shorter wave radar systems are being installed to help airplanes avoid bird strikes (which are actually a very serious thing).
So, the bird-signature of the F117a was flying under the radar.
Ok, I'll stop now.
Wow that's fascinating. At this rate, we may invent cloaking devices before the Romulans!
So cool that I sent the link to DH. 😀
That is so awesome! You can sell 'em from your sidebar once you patent a name 🙂
Wouldn't that be great? Until everyone is wearing one and we stop bumping into each other 🙂
@AdamC LOL! That would make the Romulans a lot easier to fight off! 🙂
@Catherine Oooh, I can totally see that being a SF story – a world where invisibility is the norm. #awesome.
Hi Susan! Just wanted to say hello to a fellow campaigner!
The discovery channel recently did a show on the plausibility of star trek tools and gadgets. The cloaking device? Not so far off!
@EastCoaster First, I hope you are staying dry! #Irene And yes, the Discovery Channel rocks! My kids are big fans. 🙂
Hi! Im from the paranormal group of the campaign adn really love your blog! I had to comment on this because when I heard about this "cloak" I thought the same thing, there needs to be a new name. Thanks for explaining all the technicalities-I luv science, never did anything about it though but really like physics now. Ill be following your blog and I only do that if i think it will inspire or inform me in some way and yours does both!
Very cool stuff, Susan. I hear you had a birthday? Happy, Happy one!
And I see you're a fellow Campaigner. Me too, first time.
@Catherine It's true! Another year has escaped me. 🙂 Thanks for the birthday wishes! And another fellow campaigner – awesome!