Can invisibilty be possible in the future?

Question

Tommorow, can we walk around and not be seen?

Answer 1

Yes, to a certain extent.
Here is a summary.
The University of Pennsylvania suggested that a 'shield' can make objects disappear by reducing the light scattered from them." Attempts have been made in the past, but have never been successfully executed.

They rely on plasmons, ripples in the oceans of electrons at the surface of every object, to achieve their effect. If made to oscillate at the correct frequency, the energy from the light is harvested by the plasmon and converted back to light, cancelling the light scattered by the object and rendering it 'nearly invisible to an observer.'

Answer 2

Absolutely! Maybe not tomorrow, but I can tell you from a purely scientific standpoint that scientists are already discovering materials that can actually bend light so you see whatever is behind an object. Due to current limitations, so far we can only cloak thigns from microwaves and such but invisibility can;t be too far off. There are some problems, of course... like how no light reaches your eyes so you can't see anything. Or how bulky it would be to carry such a thing around (the materials can be very large and heavy sometimes, and also stiff and rigid, not like fabric). So we have a ways to go but it will come.

Answer 3

No reason why not. There have recently been some interesting papers on the subject in the mainstream journals. It already exists - after all, isn't glass invisible? Bending light rays is something we do everyday (know anyone who wears glasses?). There is no theoretical reason someone couldn't find a way to bend light rays around physical objects so they wouldn't be seen. So far however, a good, practical method has not been found. But who knows?

Answer 4

Yes!

Read the April 2007 edition of Scientific American the cover story of which is:

The Dazzling Future of PLASMONICS

The March 2007 issue also has quite a good article explaining what plasmons are and how they can simulate photons (only in 2, instead of 3, dimensions) and hug to the surfaces of so-called meta-materials rendering them invisible, as the light passes around them rather than reflecting from them or otherwise interacting with them.

There's a catch, though. Plasmons can only travel about 200mm. It's fascinating!!!

Answer 5

True "invisibility" may be some ways off, but there is a jacket made by Tachi Laboratory of University of Tokyo that makes something called an "invisibility cloak" that works by sensing light on the one side and projecting it on the other.

Answer 6

There are already jackets like the one made by Tachi Laboratory at the University of Tokyo. Somewhat like the "Predator" movies, but still not completely invisible.

Answer 7

That would be the end of civilization as we know...I mean, imagine you could go somewhere unseen, and commit a crime...To many people would be tempted to do so; they would be stealing in the shops, killing others without possibility to be recognized...It would be the end ! Fortunately it doesn't seem
to be an option, not in near future...

Answer 8

Well, I must be invisible judging by how many people walk into me, even when they are looking straight at me!!! It especially seems to happen in grocery stores, I have the wheel marks from the grocery carts that get shoved into me.
Just wish I could be invisible when I want to be!

Answer 9

In the future you won't be here, so you won't be walking around. You are not here with me having a cup of coffee, and I know you are not at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. If you are not there you must be somewhere else. And if you are somewhere else how can you be where you are at?

Answer 10

Certainly- either by the light bending methods mentioned by previous responders or by causing people to look in a direction away from the thing you want to be invisible (techniques similar to ninja methods).