A Cloak of Invisibility?

August 15, 2008

Considering that I’ve co-authored two books on popular culture (2004’s Poplorica and 2006’s OOPS!, available in remainder bins everywhere!), it’s a bit embarrassing to admit that I don’t really know that much about the Harry Potter phenomenon. A while back, I wandered into a Borders bookstore and found myself surrounded by a tumultuous horde — whole families — clad in billowy robes, scarves and neckties, all awaiting the midnight release of the latest of J.K. Rowling’s almost preternaturally best-selling novels. The idea crossed my mind: What if this costuming tie-in concept caught on, and Borders started insisting that all customers dress up like fictional personages in the books that they wanted to purchase? It was a discomforting thought for someone who had come in search of a copy of John Burdett’s Bangkok 8, a detective thriller set in Thailand that prominently features transsexual Thai cabaret performers known as katooeys. Now, they probably make sequined gowns in extra-large, but where would I find a pair of size 11-and-a-half spike-heeled pumps?

But once again, I digress. The relevant Harry Potter connection here is a garment that’s not so much a fashion statement as it is an ingenious device: the Cloak of Invisibility. Here’s an explanation of the cloak, which I got from an article in Wikipedia:

According to the legend, the Cloak of Invisibility has the power to shield the wearer from being seen by Death. It is a true invisibility cloak, in the sense of being able to completely shield the wearer from sight, and cannot be worn out by time or spells. Other typical invisibility cloaks described in the books, which are sometimes woven from the hair of a beast known as the Demiguise, can become opaque with age and are vulnerable to being penetrated by various spells.

Granted, the cloak has a few imperfections — snakes can somehow sense people who are under it, and there’s some sort of spell with a fancy-schmancy Latin name that allows the eyes to penetrate its protection as well. (See, I am catching on a bit.) But for the most part, the Cloak of Invisibility is a pretty nifty bit of camouflage

That’s why in the non-wizard real world, researchers have been working to develop an effective cloaking technology.