If you’re still waiting for your Hogwarts letter, we have some good news for you. No, an owl isn’t finally on his way, but researchers from the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory successfully created a material that can wrap around small objects to render them invisible…aka there is a real-life invisibility cloak. Even Harry Potter is a little jealous.
Created from gold nanoantenna blocks (don’t worry, we don’t know what that means either), the super-thin material works by interfering with the bending and refracting of light waves off an object. By redirecting light waves away from the object underneath it, the object seems to disappear.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to creep into your professor’s office to steal exam answers anytime soon. The material was only tested at microscopic levels and works if the object is stationary. But think of the possibilities!
The future is now, people.
[Story via Metro]
[Lead image via]
