Harry Potter fans, an IRL invisibility cloak could soon be yours
Guys. The chances of you having the need to say “Accio, invisibility cloak!” are becoming increasingly higher, because guess what? A real-life, real-world invisibility cloak may actually be something you can own in not-so-distant future! (And in the muggle world, no less!)
Scientists/wizards Yuan Wang, Zi Jing Wongm, and Xiang Zhang have been designing an invisibility cloak that will certainly delight Harry Potter fans everywhere. Recently, they put this magical invention to the test and – surprise! – it actually WORKED. So, since we don’t have magic (*sad face*) how does it actually function? Let us explain.
The cloak itself is lightweight and is made of tiny, gold Galleon-colored blocks. These gold pieces impressively refract light waves so that the naked eye cannot see what is being covered. Interestingly enough, these metallic particles are just like skin (kind of creepy, but also really cool) in that they can fit around an object and cause it to become completely invisible.
The only catch is that the experiment focused on a minuscule object, but the researchers believe that the same idea could be applied to hide more sizable objects (like human beings!!). “We do not see fundamental roadblocks. But much more work needs to be done,” said Zhang, who stated that it could take five to ten years to make this happen. Hey, we’ll wait.
As for this cloak’s applications, the scientific team thinks that the military would be able to use it. The cloak could make aircrafts, vehicles, and even soldiers appear invisible. Another unique application includes this interesting concept: a cloaking mask for the face or the body – one that hides pimples, wrinkles, and even one’s belly.
While these ideas are really cool, we’re more focused on the fact that we can take our Rowling obsession to the next level. If anyone knows of a Hogwarts-like library that we can explore in the middle of the night, please let us know!
[Images via Warner Bros. and Twitter]
PotterItForward: Harry Potter fans are giving first-time readers the best gift ever
The latest ‘Harry Potter’ realization might just give you chills
