Post by harrypalmer on Aug 15, 2008 5:44:31 GMT -5
The much maligned (not by me!) invisible car in Die Another Day could become a reality 
:
stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/08/13/a-quantum-of-solace-for-bond-fans-the-invisible-car-is-just-around-the-corner.aspx
A quantum of solace for Bond fans: the invisible car is just around the corner
]The new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, is out in the UK on October 31st and, judging by the trailers we can be confident it'll be pretty thrilling in a hold-on-isn't-this-just-The-Bourne-Ultimatum way.
But we're unlikely to be wowed by Bond's gadgets. After all, we could just visit Sony Style and buy them for ourselves.
Bond fans can pinpoint the moment when it all went wrong for Q Division's gadgets: the moment a gurning John Cleese revealed the shameful invisible Jag Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Laser wristwatches? Cool. Jetpacks? Hell yes! But invisible cars? Even a Moonraker fan would have trouble suspending disbelief.
Unless, of course, scientists could invent a material that was capable of bending light - thereby allowing the creating of invisibility cloaks.
Step up Professor Xiang Zhang of University of California-Berkley, whose XLab is creating a new generation of 'metamaterials' under the watchful eye of Zhang's delectable assistant Honey Gardener (Ok, I made her up - but the rest of it is true - check the BBC if you don't believe me).
According to the Beeb, the metamaterial in question works by "reversing refraction, the effect that makes a straw placed in water appear bent." The article quotes a researcher as saying that objects coated in the material allow light to pass through "like water flowing around a rock". I'll believe it when I don't see it.
Metamaterials could also be used to slow down light, according to another BBC story. This could help speed up the internet because optical signals wouldn't need to be conveted to electrical signals in order to be routed.
So, come back John Cleese, all is forgiven. And isn't it about time Bond got a flying car?
On a side note, the awful title of the new Bond film has been given the theme song it deserves courtesy of the brilliant Joe Cornish:
"I want a quantum of solace, but only a quantum
I know they do big bags of solace, but I don't want 'em".
:stuff.tv/blogs/future/archive/2008/08/13/a-quantum-of-solace-for-bond-fans-the-invisible-car-is-just-around-the-corner.aspx
A quantum of solace for Bond fans: the invisible car is just around the corner
]The new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace, is out in the UK on October 31st and, judging by the trailers we can be confident it'll be pretty thrilling in a hold-on-isn't-this-just-The-Bourne-Ultimatum way.
But we're unlikely to be wowed by Bond's gadgets. After all, we could just visit Sony Style and buy them for ourselves.
Bond fans can pinpoint the moment when it all went wrong for Q Division's gadgets: the moment a gurning John Cleese revealed the shameful invisible Jag Aston Martin in Die Another Day. Laser wristwatches? Cool. Jetpacks? Hell yes! But invisible cars? Even a Moonraker fan would have trouble suspending disbelief.
Unless, of course, scientists could invent a material that was capable of bending light - thereby allowing the creating of invisibility cloaks.
Step up Professor Xiang Zhang of University of California-Berkley, whose XLab is creating a new generation of 'metamaterials' under the watchful eye of Zhang's delectable assistant Honey Gardener (Ok, I made her up - but the rest of it is true - check the BBC if you don't believe me).
According to the Beeb, the metamaterial in question works by "reversing refraction, the effect that makes a straw placed in water appear bent." The article quotes a researcher as saying that objects coated in the material allow light to pass through "like water flowing around a rock". I'll believe it when I don't see it.
Metamaterials could also be used to slow down light, according to another BBC story. This could help speed up the internet because optical signals wouldn't need to be conveted to electrical signals in order to be routed.
So, come back John Cleese, all is forgiven. And isn't it about time Bond got a flying car?
On a side note, the awful title of the new Bond film has been given the theme song it deserves courtesy of the brilliant Joe Cornish:
"I want a quantum of solace, but only a quantum
I know they do big bags of solace, but I don't want 'em".