SCIENTISTS CLOSER TO DEVELOPING INVISIBILITY CLOAK

[frawin]

This is scary, but interesting, think of the possibilities.

Scientists closer to developing invisibility cloak



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.

[Roma Jean Turner]

Fascinating but creepy.  One more thing to be paranoid about.  ha ha

[W. Gray]

Rumors have existed that in 1943 the U.S. Navy made the USS Eldridge, a destroyer or destroyer escort, disappear in what was called the Philadelphia Experiment as part of a Project Rainbow.

Electrical cables wrapped around the ship, degaussing, etc., were involved as was a unified field theory supposedly developed by Einstein.

The Navy denies it ever happened but UFO buffs claim it did and say there were witnesses.

[dnalexander]

Also, as the story goes once the USS Eldridge was rendered invisible the ship and crew were "teleported"  from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Norfolk, Virginia. Supposedly, the crew of the civilian merchant ship SS Andrew Furuseth observed the arrival where they witnessed the ghastly sight of sailors that were embedded in the deck and sides of the ship. Both the true story and the way out story just make this topic so spooky.

David

[Roma Jean Turner]

I have always been fascinated by that and don't have any trouble believing that it would have been covered up.

[Lazy Bear]

 On a topic sort of related, Microsoft and I'm sure a few govt agencies have been working on using brain waves to communicate with computers, (and each other) for a long while now. They already have the technology to implant a chip in the brain and set in front of a computer and operate it with just brain waves. Great for people with handicaps and disabilities preventing normal operations of the computer.
    But I've always thought if they were smart enough to do that with a computer, only time will keep them from making it possible to have two way communications. Then when people with the implants met each other, they would never have to speak, just think it and the other person would receive the thought.
   Having carried it this far, just think of the implications of it, you would never be able to lie out of a speeding ticket again, no need for long drawn out jury duty, you'd just read his mind and know.
   But even worse would be if you came home and said you was out late with the boys!!!!,, You'd dang sure better be telling the truth.  LOL

[Judy Harder]

And Boys, just think you still wouldn't know what a woman was thinking about!!!

We could still RULE THE WORLD!!!!

[mtcookson]

Reminds me of Demolition Man. I'm sure if they could do the communication thing they would eventually be able to do the same thing they did in the movie, non physical sex.

[Flintauqua]

Reminds me of Demolition Man.

Mark,

Did you ever figure out the "three seashells"?