In future we'll be like Invisible Woman - Scientist

*Raph's Girl* · 07-31-2006, 01:18 PM

It's unlikely to occur by swallowing a pill or
donning a special cloak, but invisibility could be possible in the not too distant future, according to research published on Monday.

Harry Potter accomplished it with his magic cloak. H.G. Wells' Invisible Man swallowed a substance that made him transparent.

But Dr Ulf Leonhardt, a theoretical physicist at St Andrews University in Scotland, believes the most plausible example is the Invisible Woman, one of the Marvel Comics superheroes in the
"Fantastic Four."

"She guides light around her using a force field in this cartoon. This is what could be done in practice," Leonhardt told Reuters in an interview. "That comes closest to what engineers will probably be able to do in the future."

Invisibility is an optical illusion that the object or person is not there. Leonhardt uses the example of water circling around a stone. The water flows in, swirls around the stone and then leaves
as if nothing was there.

"If you replace the water with light then you would not see that there was something present because the light is guided around the person or object. You would see the light coming from the scenery
behind as if there was nothing in front," he said.

In the research published in the New Journal of Physics, Leonhardt described the physics of theoretical devices that could create
invisibility. It is a follow-up paper to an earlier study published in the journal Science.

"What the Invisible Woman does is curve space around herself to bend light. What these devices would do is to mimic that curved space," he said.

Although the devices are still theoretical, Leonhardt said scientists are making advances in metamaterials -- artificial materials with unusual properties that could be used to make
invisibility devices.

"There are advances being made in metamaterials that mean the first devices will probably be used for bending radar waves or the
electromagnetic waves used by mobile phones," he said.

The devices could be used as protection mechanisms so the radiation emitted from mobile phones does not penetrate electronic equipment.
It is guided around it.

"It is very likely that the demonstration for radar would come first and very soon. To go into the visual will take some time but it is also not so far off," Leonhardt said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060731/...e_invisible_dc

Raph's Girl note: "I can't see you!" "I can't see me either!"

**Jo Dawn** · 08-01-2006, 09:39 AM

They are also making an invisibility cloak a la Harry Potter. Started work on that a while ago. I'm interested to see how all this pans out.

*Mecha Cow* · 08-01-2006, 06:10 PM

Yeah, they've been working on this stuff for a couple of years now I think.

But screw invisibility, where are my flying cars and robot servants?

Peanut · 08-01-2006, 08:28 PM

Invisibility will only lead to bad things down the road.

*JameO* · 08-01-2006, 09:49 PM

Haha, it'll be the criminals paradise, and you'll also never know that a suicide bomber is there, until its too late, not the best idea, cool for science, but will be used in so many bad ways.

07-31-2006, 01:18 PM	#1
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	In future we'll be like Invisible Woman - Scientist It's unlikely to occur by swallowing a pill or donning a special cloak, but invisibility could be possible in the not too distant future, according to research published on Monday. Harry Potter accomplished it with his magic cloak. H.G. Wells' Invisible Man swallowed a substance that made him transparent. But Dr Ulf Leonhardt, a theoretical physicist at St Andrews University in Scotland, believes the most plausible example is the Invisible Woman, one of the Marvel Comics superheroes in the "Fantastic Four." "She guides light around her using a force field in this cartoon. This is what could be done in practice," Leonhardt told Reuters in an interview. "That comes closest to what engineers will probably be able to do in the future." Invisibility is an optical illusion that the object or person is not there. Leonhardt uses the example of water circling around a stone. The water flows in, swirls around the stone and then leaves as if nothing was there. "If you replace the water with light then you would not see that there was something present because the light is guided around the person or object. You would see the light coming from the scenery behind as if there was nothing in front," he said. In the research published in the New Journal of Physics, Leonhardt described the physics of theoretical devices that could create invisibility. It is a follow-up paper to an earlier study published in the journal Science. "What the Invisible Woman does is curve space around herself to bend light. What these devices would do is to mimic that curved space," he said. Although the devices are still theoretical, Leonhardt said scientists are making advances in metamaterials -- artificial materials with unusual properties that could be used to make invisibility devices. "There are advances being made in metamaterials that mean the first devices will probably be used for bending radar waves or the electromagnetic waves used by mobile phones," he said. The devices could be used as protection mechanisms so the radiation emitted from mobile phones does not penetrate electronic equipment. It is guided around it. "It is very likely that the demonstration for radar would come first and very soon. To go into the visual will take some time but it is also not so far off," Leonhardt said. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060731/...e_invisible_dc Raph's Girl note: "I can't see you!" "I can't see me either!" __________________

08-01-2006, 09:39 AM	#2
Jo Dawn Inactive Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Authority On All Things Don Posts: 5,190	They are also making an invisibility cloak a la Harry Potter. Started work on that a while ago. I'm interested to see how all this pans out. __________________

08-01-2006, 06:10 PM	#3
Mecha Cow Gorgeous and modest too Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 3,699	Yeah, they've been working on this stuff for a couple of years now I think. But screw invisibility, where are my flying cars and robot servants? __________________

08-01-2006, 09:49 PM	#5
JameO Mad Scientist Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,753	Haha, it'll be the criminals paradise, and you'll also never know that a suicide bomber is there, until its too late, not the best idea, cool for science, but will be used in so many bad ways. __________________ "Lie, Cheat & Steal, Atleast I'm Honest"

08-01-2006, 08:28 PM	#4
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422	Invisibility will only lead to bad things down the road.