Family Life

11.16.12 | Sarah Harnisch

Duke researchers Nathan Landy and David R. Smith just published a study in the journal "Nature" that claims it’s happened at last-- the creation of a “full-parameter unidirectional metamaterial cloak for microwaves.” The cloak perfectly shielded a 1-centimeter cylinder. The premise with invisibility has to do with light. Light normally travels in a straight line, but by using specially crafted materials that can warp the electromagnetic spectrum or alter the actual speed of light rays, you can affect the way light interacts with an object, even making it appear to disappear. The cloak is diamond-shaped, and splits the light differently. The trouble is, it only works in one direction, and only if the object is perfectly cylindrical. That means no human use-- yet.