Berkeley Researchers Create an “Invisibility Cloak”

Back to article

Practical application

OK, from a military perspective, what if you have a vehicle. This vehicle is parked somewhere it "shouldn't be". Since satellites are trackable and the locations of imaging satellites is known, you could at a moment's notice drape this cloak over top of the vehicle, thus rendering it invisible. All that would be seen is the cloak as if it were laying on the ground. Pretty spooky actually. If the cloak is camflougable (new word, just made it up) then even the cloak would not be seen.

Science is Cool of TX @ May 08, 2009 14:30:37 PM

On TV

I saw something on tv quite a while ago. I think it was some Jane's extract on Discovery or the History channels.

It made a claim for invisibility cloak for soldiers and actually showed them in a field (of wheat?) approching a hut. The camera in the hut showed no one there.

It was way more advanced than this thing. I think the guy in charge had a Chinese name, too.

I may be a bit sketchy, it was so long ago, but I can still see the picture in my mind. It really caught my attention.

Well, it is commonly said that military research is often fifteen years ahead of what the public is made aware of.

Joan Dalton of IL @ May 07, 2009 11:35:56 AM

re: Hyped nonsense

I don't think you understood the video, or the research. Sorry.

Paul J. of NY @ May 06, 2009 12:04:34 PM

Hyped nonsense

What a silly claim! The diagram shows a 'mirror cloak'--not an 'invisibility' see-through cloak, that works face-on. The Berkely group did a MICROSCOPIC mirror cloak that works from the SIDE. It CANNOT be implemented as shown in the 'artist's rendition'. VERY mispleading. And why should anyone care about hiding behind a mirror? What's the big deal? Answer:the big deal is getting 'see through' invisibility cloaks that work at broad bandwidths. That isn't what this is--but a group in Massachusetts DID do this and reported it a few weeks back. They used fractals.I found the link as www.metacloak.net.

This isn't news as much as spin copy to justify NSF funding. My opinion. Yours may differ.

Josef of MD @ May 06, 2009 11:38:26 AM

Back to article

Add Your Thoughts
About You

National Science Foundation

NSF

Wolves, Moose and Soil Nutrients: The Unexpected Connection

Researchers were startled to discover "hot spots" of forest fertility.

Predicting Who Will Survive Skin Cancer

Using new techniques, researchers may now be able to predict the survivability of skin cancer.

Record Highs Far Outpace Lows Across U.S.

Daily record high temperatures occurred twice as often as record lows over the past decade.

advertisement

Science Discoveries

Science Discoveries

iTunes icon RSS icon

  1. World's Best Universities: Top 200
  2. Best High Schools: Gold Medal List
  3. Trouble is Brewing for Obama, Democrats in 2010
  4. Washington Whispers: Hillary for Vice President
  5. Stores Open on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday
  1. Most Popular Colleges: National Universities
  2. FlowChart:15 Companies That Might Not Survive 2009
  3. Best Places to Live 2009
  4. Obama's Loan Modification Plan: 7 Things You Need to Know
  5. Help for Paying Off Your Student Loans

Subscribe

U.S. News Digital Weekly

A weekly insider's guide to politics and policy — in a multimedia, digital format. 52 issues for $19.95!

U.S. News & World Report

6 months of U.S. News & World Report's print edition for only $15. Save up to 67% off the cover price!