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How scientists are creating real-life invisibility cloaks - Max G. Levy

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TEDEd Animation

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A spy presses a button on their suit and blinks out of sight. A wizard wraps himself in a cloak and disappears. A star pilot flicks a switch, and their ship vanishes into space. Invisibility is one of the most tantalizing powers in fiction, spanning all kinds of stories. But could this fantasy ever become a reality? Max G. Levy digs into the technologies that could make invisibility possible.

Why is light refraction essential to making an object invisible? Name one limitation of light refraction that must be overcome to achieve true invisibility.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Director Michael Kalopaidis, Zedem Media
  • Educator Max G. Levy
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Wing Luo
  • Animator Christos Papandreopoulos, Maria Savva, Eleni Catherine Demetriou, Rafael Kallistratou
  • Art Director Jeanne Bornet
  • Sound Designer Manolis Manoli
  • Composer Manolis Manoli
  • Produced by Gerta Xhelo, Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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