Roundtable: Cloaks of Invisibility and Other Magic

Posted By Grim

Dr. Richard Hammond, a theoretical physcisit working for the Army Research Office and Purdue University, spoke about 'metamaterials,' a new form of man-made matter that can manipulate light in ways not found in nature.  (Transcript here).

The short term prospects are lenses that can see biological or chemical warfare agents in the field, with the precision now found only in a laboratory -- useful for quickly identifying threats and applying countermeasures.  Additional optical benefits include new kinds of scopes for rifles.

But there are some long-term potentials as well, including invisibility: not just to light, but to radar.

One of the most interesting facts about such materials is that they should ultimately require no power once made.  As a mirror reflects light without requiring power, so these things will do what they do to light by virtue of their physical qualities. 

It's a look into the future, not only of warfare, but of what science is making possible that has never been possible before.

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Roundtable: Cloaks of Invisibility and Other Magic

Dr. Richard Hammond, a theoretical physcisit working for the Army Research Office and Purdue University, spoke about 'metamaterials,' a new form of man-made matter that can manipulate light in ways not found in nature.  (Transcript here).

The short term prospects are lenses that can see biological or chemical warfare agents in the field, with the precision now found only in a laboratory -- useful for quickly identifying threats and applying countermeasures.  Additional optical benefits include new kinds of scopes for rifles.

But there are some long-term potentials as well, including invisibility: not just to light, but to radar.

One of the most interesting facts about such materials is that they should ultimately require no power once made.  As a mirror reflects light without requiring power, so these things will do what they do to light by virtue of their physical qualities. 

It's a look into the future, not only of warfare, but of what science is making possible that has never been possible before.

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