Description

A lively exploration of how invisibility has gone from science fiction to fact

Is it possible for something or someone to be made invisible This question which has intrigued authors of science fiction for over a century has become a headlinegrabbing topic of scientific research

In this book science writer and optical physicist Gregory J Gbur traces the science of invisibility from its scifi origins in the nineteenthcentury writings of authors such as H G Wells and Fitz James OBrien to modern stealth technology invisibility cloaks and metamaterials He explores the history of invisibility and its science and technology connections including the discovery of the electromagnetic spectrum the development of the atomic model and quantum theory He shows how invisibility has moved from fiction to reality and he questions the hidden paths that lie ahead for researchers

This is not only the story of invisibility but also the story of humankinds understanding of the nature of light itself and of the many fascinating figures whose discoveries advanced this knowledge