Chinese scientists turn Harry Potter, make 'invisibility cloak' with traits of chameleon, glass frog, bearded dragon

Inspired by Greek mythology’s Chimera, researchers from Jilin and Tsinghua Universities in China have combined traits from the chameleon, glass frog, and bearded dragon to propose a groundbreaking hybrid material. This metamaterial, named Chimera, has the potential to make invisibility cloaks a reality, as detailed in a study published by the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The scientists, taking a bionics-based approach, aimed to address the limitations of existing camouflage technologies, specifically their lack of versatility across different terrains. The study represents a significant advance in reconfigurable electromagnetics, allowing for the adaptation of camouflage technologies to ever-changing landscapes. The Chimera metamaterial draws inspiration from the chameleon, renowned for its color-changing ability. Like the chameleon, the metamaterial adjusts its microwave reflection properties to seamlessly blend with various environments, from water surfaces to grasslands. Incorporating features from the glass frog, known for its transparency during sleep, the researchers embedded the Chimera’s circuitry between layers of PET plastic and quartz glass. This achieves optical transparency, resembling the glass frog’s natural invisibility. To address the challenge of concealing the heat generated by the metamaterial’s surface circuits, the scientists turned to the bearded dragon. By mimicking the reptile’s color-changing ability for temperature regulation, the Chimera metamaterial minimizes thermal differences, making it virtually undetectable to thermal imaging in diverse terrains. Lead author Xu Zhaohua expressed intrigue at finding suitable working states for the Chimera metasurface to match all five terrains across the entire frequency range of interest. The development of the Chimera metasurface involved a meticulous five-step process, starting with a pattern on plastic, followed by metal mesh formation, and concluding with manual assembly to achieve multi-spectrum stealth capabilities. The scientists envision wide-ranging applications for this technology, spanning from military uses to wildlife conservation efforts. In military contexts, the Chimera metamaterial could provide strategic advantages by allowing objects or personnel to blend seamlessly into diverse environments, evading detection by radars, infrared detectors, and optical devices. Beyond military applications, the technology holds promise for non-invasive observation of animals in their natural habitats. By minimizing human impacts on wildlife behavior and the environment, Chimera could contribute significantly to conservation efforts.