| Author |
Message |
Seven of Nine
Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001
Posts: 7871
Location: North East England
|
 Fri May 05, 2006 8:47 am To boldly hide who no-one has hidden before? |
|
| Quote: | BBC NEWS
'Cloaking device' idea proposed
By Paul Rincon
BBC News science reporter
The cloaking devices that are used to render spacecraft invisible in Star Trek might just work in reality, two mathematicians have claimed.
They have outlined their concept in a research paper published in one of the UK Royal Society's scientific journals.
Nicolae Nicorovici and Graeme Milton propose that placing certain objects close to a material called a superlens could make them appear to vanish.
It would rely on an effect known as "anomalous localised resonance".
| Quote: | If the speck of dust is close enough it induces a very aggressive response in the cloaking material
Professor Sir John Pendry, Imperial College London |
However, the authors have so far only done the maths to verify that the concept could work. Building such a device would undoubtedly pose a significant challenge.
Starting small
Cloaking devices are a form of stealth technology much favoured by Star Trek baddies such as the Romulans and Klingons.
The complex mathematical phenomenon outlined by Milton and Nicorovici closes the gap a little between science fiction and fact.
The phenomenon is analogous to a tuning fork (which rings with a single sound frequency) being placed next to a wine glass. The wine glass will start to ring with the same frequency; it resonates.
The cloaking effect would exploit a resonance with light waves rather than sound waves.
The concept is at such a primitive stage that scientists are talking only at the moment of being able to cloak particles of dust - not spaceships.
In this example, an illuminated speck of dust would scatter light at frequencies that induce a strong, finely tuned resonance in a cloaking material placed very close by.
The resonance effectively cancels out the light bouncing off the speck of dust, rendering the dust particle invisible.
One way to construct a cloaking device is to use a superlens, made of recently discovered materials that force light to behave in unusual ways.
Vanishing point
Professor Sir John Pendry, of Imperial College London, who helped pioneer superlenses, said: "If the speck of dust is close enough it induces a very aggressive response in the cloaking material which essentially acts back on the speck of dust and forces it to stop shining.
"Even though light is hitting the speck of dust, scattering of the light is prevented by the cloak which is in close proximity," he told the BBC News website.
The authors of the paper argue that the cloak needn't just work with a speck of dust, but could also apply to larger objects.
But they admit the cloaking effect works only at certain frequencies of light, so that some objects placed near the cloak might only partially disappear.
"I believe their claims about the speck of dust and a certain class of objects. In the paper, they do give an instance about a particular shape of material they can't cloak. So they can't cloak everything," said Professor Pendry.
"Nevertheless, it's a very neat idea to get this aggressive response from the material to stop tiny things emitting light."
The Imperial College physicist agreed this particular concept had potential military uses: "Providing the specks of dust are within the cloaked area, the effect will happen. A cloak that only fits one particular set of circumstances is very restrictive - you can't redesign the furniture without redesigning the cloak."
Details are published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.
[email protected]
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/4968338.stm
Published: 2006/05/03 16:34:49 GMT
� BBC MMVI |
|
|
|
Theresa
Lux Mihi Deus
Joined: 17 Jun 2001
Posts: 27256
Location: United States of America
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 2:38 pm |
|
I heard this on the news this morning, very cool.
-------signature-------
Some of us fall by the wayside
And some of us soar to the stars
And some of us sail through our troubles
And some have to live with our scars
|
|
|
Leo Wyatt
Sweetest Angel
Joined: 25 Feb 2004
Posts: 19045
Location: Investigating A Crime Scene. What did Quark do this time?
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 3:00 pm |
|
Cool! Interesting... Coming up in technology.
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 3:02 pm |
|
Oh thats great. Thats all we need. Then other nations will get, possibly corrupt ones and a nice tech war will break out.
|
|
|
Starbuck
faster...
Joined: 19 Feb 2003
Posts: 8715
Location: between chaos and melody
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 3:41 pm |
|
OH MY GOD........ I FEEL LIKE SUCH A TREK NERD RIGHT NOW!!!! I'M SO FREAKIN EXCITED!!!!
|
|
|
Republican_Man
STV's Premier Conservative
Joined: 26 Mar 2004
Posts: 14823
Location: Classified
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 5:42 pm |
|
Me too, as dangerous as this may turn out to be.
Who knows? We may yet have some Klingons and Romulans on this planet, and become more like Trek in more senses! 
-------signature-------
"Rights are only as good as the willingness of some to exercise responsibility for those rights- Fmr. Colorado Senate Pres. John Andrews
|
|
|
Ziona
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 22 Aug 2001
Posts: 12821
Location: Michigan... for now
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 10:54 pm |
|
I agree with Founder... if the wrong people got hold of this information and technology, god knows how much trouble we could be in.
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 11:05 pm |
|
Yeah, I can only imagine if terrorists get their hands on this.... 
|
|
|
Ziona
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 22 Aug 2001
Posts: 12821
Location: Michigan... for now
|
| Fri May 05, 2006 11:06 pm |
|
Can't fight an enemy you can't see..
|
|
|
IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
|
| Sat May 06, 2006 4:00 pm |
|
Pretty nifty. With the advent of every new technology there are risks that it could be placed in the wrong hands, but progress has to be made.
-------signature-------
"Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."
-Wuthering Heights
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Sat May 06, 2006 4:54 pm |
|
Yes, but perhaps the advancement of technology should be made in medicine(they have a cure for everything in ST), foods(replicator), or entertainment(holodeck). Of all the things to rip from Star Trek. Its a cloaking device. Just another type of weapon. Although, I'm gald the US has it. Better us then...
|
|
|
IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
|
| Sat May 06, 2006 5:02 pm |
|
You can't really select how technology will advance, what areas it will advance in, or when. If that was the way things worked I'm sure we'd all be living in paradise.
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Sat May 06, 2006 5:33 pm |
|
Not really. If resources were put into a certain facet, results would be made. Do you think they just...stumbled on this? They focused on the military.
|
|
|
Lord Borg
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 11214
Location: Vulcan Capital City, Vulcan
|
| Sat May 06, 2006 5:37 pm |
|
Yeah, if they put that kind of money into medcine, we could help alot of scknesses right now
|
|
|
IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
|
| Sun May 07, 2006 6:54 pm |
|
| Founder wrote: | | Not really. If resources were put into a certain facet, results would be made. Do you think they just...stumbled on this? They focused on the military. |
Yeah, but they focused on an area where results are possible. You can't just say- "hey, I'd like to invent warp drive!" It isn't possible at this stage, even with a multi billion dollar grant.
And there are already billions of dollars invested in medicine, it's really the pharmaceutical industry you have to take into account for what drugs are and aren't available.
-------signature-------
"Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."
-Wuthering Heights
|
|
|
WeAz
Commodore
Joined: 03 Apr 2004
Posts: 1519
Location: Where you aren't
|
| Mon May 08, 2006 10:26 pm |
|
| Founder wrote: | | Yes, but perhaps the advancement of technology should be made in medicine(they have a cure for everything in ST), foods(replicator), or entertainment(holodeck). Of all the things to rip from Star Trek. Its a cloaking device. Just another type of weapon. Although, I'm gald the US has it. Better us then... |
The holodeck would destroy the entire s-e-x industry...
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Mon May 08, 2006 11:56 pm |
|
| IntrepidIsMe wrote: | | Founder wrote: | | Not really. If resources were put into a certain facet, results would be made. Do you think they just...stumbled on this? They focused on the military. |
Yeah, but they focused on an area where results are possible. You can't just say- "hey, I'd like to invent warp drive!" It isn't possible at this stage, even with a multi billion dollar grant.
Yes, but that is completely unrealistic at this point. The cure for various diseases are not. If more focus was placed on them, they could be perhaps found. Not that we'll ever know, since making better weapons in the focus.
And there are already billions of dollars invested in medicine, it's really the pharmaceutical industry you have to take into account for what drugs are and aren't available. |
That billions of dollars goes to distrubution of the drugs that are know. Not ALL of it is for research. If billions is not enough, then put more.
| WeAz wrote: | | The holodeck would destroy the entire s-e-x industry... |
Are you kidding? It would revolutionize it. 
|
|
|
IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 2:23 pm |
|
How do you know that a cure for AIDS (random example) isn't impossible? They haven't been able to prove that, as of yet, they've only made strides towards slowing the progression of the disease. There's a big difference between a cure and and that.
And fine, take whatever type of scientific invention they haven't come up with yet. You can't just invest money and research in any specific area and magically have results. They focused on this because it was plausible and they most likely believed they could have results. Why invest time and money in something you know most likely won't come happen? You don't. It isn't good business practice, and that's what technological advancement is all about.
-------signature-------
"Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."
-Wuthering Heights
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 2:37 pm |
|
| IntrepidIsMe wrote: | How do you know that a cure for AIDS (random example) isn't impossible? They haven't been able to prove that, as of yet, they've only made strides towards slowing the progression of the disease. There's a big difference between a cure and and that.
I didn't say a cure for AIDS is impossible. I was saying anything like warp speed would be at this point and it hardly benifits mankind at this very day. A cure for various disease or ailments of any kind? That benifits it far more.
And fine, take whatever type of scientific invention they haven't come up with yet. You can't just invest money and research in any specific area and magically have results. They focused on this because it was plausible and they most likely believed they could have results. Why invest time and money in something you know most likely won't come happen? You don't. It isn't good business practice, and that's what technological advancement is all about. |
I know they went to this technology because the way was open, but it wasn't just there. It was because they had been working on it for some time. They constantly say that they are making so many new strives towards curing these diseases but they are not there yet. If more was put into it, then results could be found. They weren't just randomly working and a scientist was like "Hey, I accidedentally found a possible way to do a real life cloak. Lets just wrap it up and go home." I wouldn't doubt if the government looked over the data and saw there was potential in various types of things. They probably saw a potential cure to AIDS and the ability to cloak. They would have course want the cloak so more money, manpower, and effort would be put into that. The same could be done for any other facet, even stuff other than disease. Was there perhaps more potential with the cloak over some kind of phaser? Probably. Which is why they would pursue it. I'm simply saying results like this could possibly made for maybe even minor diseases, but it won't be pursued.
|
|
|
IntrepidIsMe
Pimp Handed
Joined: 14 Jun 2002
Posts: 13057
Location: New York
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 2:46 pm |
|
I said, "isn't impossible" about the AIDS thing, 
And as far as what things are and aren't invested in all just depends on bureaucracy, etc. However, where would we all be if money was diverted from the military budged to medical research? If that was the case, the US would be lagging behind in military technology and not be on par with the rest of the world. Would being potentially defenseless be any better than having a cure for all kinds of diseases? What I'm getting at is that I don't think they chose this particular project over others without weighing out where money is already invested and what areas have potential.
-------signature-------
"Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He's always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being."
-Wuthering Heights
|
|
|
Lord Borg
Fleet Admiral
Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 11214
Location: Vulcan Capital City, Vulcan
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 2:49 pm |
|
We certainly don't want to be behind in DEFENSES, but a cloak? and FYI, medical researchers complain all the time about not having the fundings they need for research....people who make the cloak get the money 
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 2:55 pm |
|
| IntrepidIsMe wrote: | I said, "isn't impossible" about the AIDS thing,
And as far as what things are and aren't invested in all just depends on bureaucracy, etc. However, where would we all be if money was diverted from the military budged to medical research? If that was the case, the US would be lagging behind in military technology and not be on par with the rest of the world. Would being potentially defenseless be any better than having a cure for all kinds of diseases? What I'm getting at is that I don't think they chose this particular project over others without weighing out where money is already invested and what areas have potential. |
Oh I couldn't agree more. This was completely made because they wanted to stay ahead in the military, nothing else. I'm just saying that humanity suffers as a whole because we're choosing to be one step ahead all the time when it comes to the newest shiny weapon! Its a shame...
If this focus was made in medicine, we could do so much. I hate to see people suffer for this...
BUT, I will say this, I love my foreign brothers and sisters, I really do. But I'm certainly glad AMERICA has this. Perhaps our allies as well.
|
|
|
Seven of Nine
Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001
Posts: 7871
Location: North East England
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 3:04 pm |
|
Can someone please tell me when mathematicians started getting heavily involved with finding cures for diseases?
|
|
|
Founder
Dominion Leader
Joined: 21 Jun 2004
Posts: 12755
Location: Gamma Quadrant
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 3:07 pm |
|
Hhmm. I don't believe anyone here said that mathmeticians cure diseases. I simply was saying that too much funding goes into new weapons and not enough goes to medical research....
|
|
|
Seven of Nine
Sammie's Mammy
Joined: 16 Jun 2001
Posts: 7871
Location: North East England
|
| Tue May 09, 2006 3:16 pm |
|
Ahh... ok. Just that it was mathematicians who are claiming this, and I guess they'd be funded anyway even if they were working on something else.
Carry on then
|
|
|
|
Search
FAQ
Log in
