RESEARCHERS have brought the magic of Harry Potter a step closer to reality after developing an ultra-thin cloak that makes objects invisible. University of Texas researchers have created the magical cover, which is just 0.15mm thin, out of a new material called metascreen.
Without the hair of a Demiguise to hand, the team attached strips of copper tape to a polycarbonate film, making the material thinner and more flexible than any previous incarnations. However, there is an obvious flaw for anyone interested in looking to become invisible anytime soon, as the miniature version of the famous wizards cloak only works in microwave light. By scattering and cancelling out incoming waves, researchers were able to successfully hide an 18cm tall cylindrical rod from the human eye. Despite the current limitations of the cloak, study co-author Professor Andrea Alu believes the ultra-think material brings us one step closer to the real thing.           –Metro