INVISIBILITY: Real-Life Cloaking Technology

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Plasmonic waveguide device for demonstration of negative refraction at visible frequencies. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Say what you wish. 

 

This little slice of an article excerpt which appears (months after initial publication) courtesy of BigThink illustrates the latest publicly-acknowledged and civilian-demonstrated/witnessed piece of  viable stealth technology which I have seen in some time. 

 

Since its publication, I have been watching the media and citing trends for validation and direction, and have found an overwhelming preponderance of both. 

 

 

 

 

Please review and then click on the BACK button...

3D Object Cloaked from All Angles: Excerpted From BigThink

Orion Jones on January 26, 2012, 3:00 PM

What's the Latest Development?

Researchers have 'cloaked' a three-dimensional object for the first time, making it invisible from all angles. Using a shell made of plasmonic materials, an 18cm long cylinder appeared to disappear beneath incoming light from the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The materials "present a 'photo negative' of the object being cloaked, effectively cancelling it out." Previous efforts have focused on a 'carpet cloak', in which the object is overlaid with a 'carpet' of metamaterial that bends light so as to make the object invisible.

What's the Big Idea?

Because plasmonic materials act like a photo negative, a distinct cloak must be prepared for each object. While the technology does not currently operate at the visible spectrum, researchers think it could be use to improve scanning microscopes—the best microscopes science has to offer—"to yield an improved view of even smaller wavelengths of light." A Harry Potter-style cloak still remains a ways off but researchers say the plasmonic technique is their bet for the most applicable cloak.

Photo credit: shutterstock.com

Read it at BBC News

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Welcome back. Allow me to hypothesize (the coward's word for predict), that this technology will be refined, adapted and applied to special combat uniforms, camera and observation devices (civilian and military), drones and robotics and other uses where it is advantageous to see without being seen. Entire nuclear reactors could be rendered invisible to multiple forms of detection with a combination of these cloaking technologies, too.

On a brighter note, there are rumors and murmurings that variations on this invisibility technology might be used to protect buildings from the ravages of earthquakes. This would be wonderful -- however, a bit of behavioral science combined with  economics and the lessons of history would lead me to believe that the applications set forth in the preceding paragraph will receive priority.

Expect more.

Douglas E. Castle for The Global Futurist Blog

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Colonizing Space: Expanding Our Horizons And Potentialities.

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Dyson sphere, Dyson ring, Niven ring, Dyson swarm in DONUT version, folding combo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Whether it involves building large, space-borne artificial living environments (space stations) for great numbers of people, or the settling and colonization of habitable planets in either our solar system or other stellar systems, the possibility of living off-planet is one that, while occasionally viewed as far-fetched, warrants consideration, imagination and discussion.

It may become necessary at some time in the not-so-terribly-distant future for numerous reasons. As a Global Futurist, this type of general exploration of ideas is the genesis seed for the strategic plan and its enabling technologies which might eventually serve to save our species from a host of potential survival hazards, some based upon existing trends and forecasts, and some based upon completely unforeseen possibilities.

The ability to rapidly and successfully mobilize is a very crucial survival skill for any living creature or group. It is not about conquest -- it is about surviving and thriving.

Were the Earth to become uninhabitable (or even undesirable), alternative locations for life to continue would be the next logical step in our survival and further social evolution. There could also be some unforeseeable advantages associated with spreading out the entire species over a far greater space, and allowing for separate experiences culled from a far greater and more diverse environment to enrich the collective knowledge and abilities of our species.

The article excerpt which follows appears courtesy of BigThink, a frequent resource for The Global Futurist Blog and for a number of my Twitter Feeds -- you may obtain a list of these feeds, some of which you may choose to follow at The Twitterlinks Hubspot Blog.

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What We Need to Settle in Outer Space

Orion Jones on April 18, 2012, 2:45 PM

What's the Latest Development?
A working list of conditions that must be met before humans can begin settling in space has been drawn up by the Space Studies Institute, a non-profit that advocates opening up the resources in space for human benefit. The institute's new president, Gary Hudson, has unveiled The Great Enterprise Initiative which is "designed to outline the technologies and other capabilities needed to enable the long-term goal of space settlement, and to host multiple projects in relevant areas." The institute's former president was Freeman Dyson. [more].


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While I usually like to limit my trend-spotting and prognostication efforts and writings to the realms of social, political and economic possibilities, science and technology are the most fascinating for me, as they offer the greatest opportunities to completely exercise and liberate my imagination and visualization skills and experiences.

Aside from the possibilities of global climate change, harsh acts of Nature, nuclear disasters, devastating wars, dangerously restrictive governments and numerous others hazards facing Humanity, one of the things which I believe to be true of any individual, company, country, civilizations or species is that when we cease to grow and expand, we begin to die. If we don't move ahead, we fall behind...even if we think that we are standing still.

Colonizing off-planet is no longer a mere dream. It is a possibility with an ever-increasing probability of occurrence. Spreading the Human race and genome out over the vastness of the universe holds great possibilities for the further education, evolution, advancement and successful survival of our species.

Remember this: Just sixty six years after the Wright Brothers' first flight of approximately 100 yards, the United States landed an astronaut on the Moon. Technology and its associated capabilities advance at an ever-accelerating pace. And the curve which illustrates this points toward the heavens.

Douglas E. Castle








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Futurism: The Knee-Jerk Versus The Systemic Change

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Predicting the future is a very tricky business. If you paint distant futurescapes, you'll likely be gone by the time your projection is either proven or fails to materialize...If you're ostracized, you won't be around (probably) to have to suffer humiliation -- if your futurescape actually comes into being -- you'll be complimented, albeit posthumously [i.e., you will not be able to collect your prize or cash your check].

Predicting the one- to three-year term is very precarious - you'll be around for your neighbors and colleagues to poke fun at (if you're wrong), and if you're right the time span will not have been enough for you to be truly honored as a visionary.

If you predict short term swings in the capital markets, and you're wrong, you'll have to rationalize to your disgruntled followers or clients. If you're right, you'll probably be investigated for manipulating the markets or for abusing insider information and self-dealing.

But the biggest challenge at the outset of the predictive process has to do with determining which events are truly the beginnings of major cycles, waves or trends that will affect major systems, or if they are merely knee-jerk reactions or media-made 'hot air balloons'.

When I report on something and use a "dated" article or a slightly-aged (usually by one to three months) study to support my forecast or prediction, it is precisely because I believe that a bit of additional examination/observation and a slight passage of time (for reaction) are two critical parts of distinguishing between whether our radar is picking up a signal from a seagull or from a meteorite headed for the Earth.

Anything less is irresponsible. As a sentient Human Being, I must keep my impulses controlled and my reflexes in check to be certain that the fellow coming toward me is pulling out a gun, or a business card.

Now you're better informed as to how the mind of The Global Futurist Douglas E Castle works, and I feel as if I've made some headway toward being understood and appreciated. We're both a bit better off.

Thank you for letting me vent. - DEC

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LinkedIn Button And Other Sharing Tools

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Nobody enjoys these tests; least of all, those of us who have to go through the arduous process of running them. This particular test has to do with a slight reformatting of the blog, and with giving my readers a panel of sharing tools right at the beginning of each article (including a LinkedIn sharing button - rare and precious) in the form of some neat-looking buttons. If you find them helpful, make good use of them and enjoy the convenience which they offer you.

If you don't like buttons, try to make the best of the situation by pretending you're headed downward on an elevator after having been through an annoying meeting and looking forward to being finished with work for the day. Try for a relaxed, "homecoming" feeling.

Thank you as always, colleagues, readers and friends.

By the way, Linked In is getting a great deal of attention. Please take a few moments to have a look at the Related Articles below.

Douglas E. Castle

The Global Futurist Blog

p.s. Since you've been kind enough to stay with me for this length of time, I will attempt to add some "party conversation starting quotation" value to this post, with a quote from my closest associate, Mr. Douglas E. Castle:

"Prepare for the future, because the present moment becomes history all too quickly."

Again, thank you. This has been a test. Resume your normal routine, good citizens.

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Rising Oil Prices: A Tipping Point For Alternative Energy At Last ?

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Human Beings tend to have short memories for non-tragic events. The best way to change Human responsiveness and engender conformity is to strike precipitously (but not so precipitously that it causes excessive violence or meaningful revolt), ease things (i.e. taxes, the price of gasoline, the interest rate on home mortgages) slightly back down for a time, but not quite as easy (or as generous, or as cheap) as they had been previously -- and then wait for anger to subside and indolence and complacency to set in -- only to pull the same shenanigans again.

If you want to increase price acceptance of an economic necessity, the ideal strategy, politically and psychologically, is to push prices higher on some pretext, and then reduce then, but to a higher level than they were before. Over a period of time, through incremental adjustments and slights bouts of relief, you raise the bar, albeit in increments. People are adaptable (more so than they care to admit) provided that changes are made through a series of small incidents. Prices rise, then they decline to a new, higher, expectation level.

Observe:

A Strategic "Sawtooth" Incremental Increasing Of Prices Over Time

This upward spiraling technique has been the strategy of choice for the producers, refiners and "transport engineers" of fossil fuels for many years. It has inflated every cost associated with logistics and transportation, and has damaged entire sectors of the economy for periods of time. It has never failed because there was always adequate demand, progress or resiliency in the economy at the time of each of spiking incident.

In this ponderous and low-income/ low-employment economy, especially in both Western Europe and the United States, this honored tradition might have finally forced the entrepreneurs, the e-commerce merchandisers, the alternative energy developers, the automotive industry and even the venture capitalists and private equity fund managers to reach a critical mass of drive to start reducing our dependency on petroleum-based energy altogether. The petroleum industry, in combination with some very fateful timing may well have caused a consumer and business sector push to aggressive find, fund and deploy alternative sources of energy.

Sometimes a confluence of economic variables, in conjunction with a long pent-up distrust and distaste for an industry (i.e., big oil) brings about a tipping point and forces a change in technology and demand -- expect both during the course of the next 32 to 36 months.

Expect great strides in the development of alternative energy, the deployment of alternative energy (i.e., hybrid cars, solar panels, windmill farms, geothermal facilities, atomics, hydroelectric energy and even a variety of nanotech, biomass and as yet unveiled organic "green and mean" technologies for energy production to begin reducing the demand for oil. A great deal of capital, venture, investor and consumer dollars, will be heading in the direction of finally reducing the demand for and dependency upon petroleum.

In tandem, we may expect many new and interesting investments (both agri-tech and high-tech) in such sectors as alternative energy; alternative transportation; alternative marketing and commerce, and in other sectors as well.

While the world has not yet agreed upon a way to rid itself of the monetary system and banks entirely (that will require a great deal of work and some difficult consensuses), the perception of oil is a fountain of evil and lies has caught hold...and more excitingly, alternatives have already been identified.

If you abuse people long enough, some of them become innovators and freedom-fighters. Watch out, Big Oil. As the saying goes, "Nothing good lasts forever."

Douglas E. Castle for The Global Futurist Blog.

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Social Media Stocks: Impending Bubble? - Watch Your Portfolios...

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Yes. I believe, as does brilliant visionary economist Robert J. Shiller, that the prices of social media platform and related-application stocks are due for a bursting of their current bubble. I believe that they are grossly overvalued, and that true economic performance and aggressive piranha-like aggressors (those darned enterprising entrepreneurial types) will begin to snack on the fatted calf. My estimate for the purposes of The Global Futurist Blog, is that the bubble will burst within the next 18 months. And you can quote me on FaceBook if you'd like...

Economics, as a field of study, is truly an analysis of the behavioral psychology and resultant reflexes study of people behave turned loose in certain circumstances -- either real or perceived. Share prices rise and fall with perception, anticipation and manipulation. Human Beings, even the brightest Futurists, have an inherent propensity (a slightly irrational drive) to try to defy the macroscopic rules of economic waves and cycles in a microscopic style. This accounts for some contrarian investing, for baseless valuations, for unproductive bidding wars, for monopolies, for competition and for bubbles.

Bubbles occur in every aspect of any market where the participants involved stop looking at fundamental guidelines for valuation, and get caught up in a buying frenzy. And, as if suffering from some recurrent amnesia, they seem to forget about varies economic calamities which preceded the one in which they are currently obsessed, and start believing that there will be an asymptotic ascension of prices and values heavenward, with no adjustment or compensating balance. Like gamblers on a lucky streak they raise the amount of the sure bet bet until someone surprises them and hauls all of their wealth away.

If you're interested in Dr. Robert J. Shiller's Works, here are a few recommendations:

Latest book: Finance and the Good Society, Princeton, 2012

"The Yale Tradition in Macroeconomics" (For 2011 Economics Reunion)

Disclosure of Outside Activities

With Randall Kroszner, Reforming U.S. Financial Markets, MIT Press, 2011

"Stimulus and Regulation," Testimony before UN General Assembly, 2nd Committee, 2010

The Squam Lake Report, Princeton, 2010

Animal Spirits (with George Akerlof), Princeton, 2009

Subprime Solution, Princeton, 2008

Information Site for Subprime Solution

Stockmarket Confidence Indexes

Standard & Poor’s/Case–Shiller Home Price Indices

Behavioral Finance

Behavioral Macroeconomics

Information Site for The New Financial Order

Information Site for Irrational Exuberance

“Finance in the 21st Century” Column for Project Syndicate

“Economic View” Column for New York Times

Online Video “Financial Markets” Course via Open Yale

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Yes, brothers and sisters - a change is gonna come.

Douglas E. Castle for The Global Futurist Blog





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Vanishing Careers - An Alternative To Thomas Frey's View

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Recently, at The Global Futurist Blog we took a look into the future of "employment evolution within the next several years with Thomas Frey, a Futurist whom I respect and whose work I find thought-provoking.

In contrast (and in some cases, agreement), please take a quick look at a CBS Business News slideshow talking about the very immediate future and those particular jobs that are subject to rapid extinction (or, euphemistically, non-renewal and non-replacement. You can view the slideshow (a very attractive presentation and of increasing page viewings and time engaged by viewers on the site by clicking on the giant hyperlink (reminds of the Watson-Crick Model of the structure of DNA, but longer) which follows, When you have finished, please hit the "BACK" button on your browser to come back home to me.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8334-505125_162-57343788/will-these-10-jobs-disappear-in-2012/?utm_source=cbsi&utm_medium=network%2Bbanners&utm_content=carousel&utm_campaign=dynamic%2Bcarousel

Welcome back. We saved you some cheese cubes and handy toothpicks with which to grab them.

Aside from the obvious observation that CBS is addressing very specific careers in the very immediate future, I wanted to give your Douglas E Castle's extinction ratings for the CBS list.
I've assigned various specific rankings to the likelihood and speed of extinction of the positions, as follows:

Key: On a scale of 1 to 5, a 1 represents the most likely to disappear most rapidly, and a 5 represents a slower and less likely disappearance. If you're in a career with a "1," get your running shoes on now. If your in a career with a "5," it's time to learn a new skill and polish up your resume...

JUDGE   3

FASHION DESIGNER     3

INSURANCE UNDERWRITER   2

TRAVEL AGENT   2

NEWSPAPER REPORTER   1

BROADCAST ANNOUNCER   1

PLANT MANAGER   4

CHEMIST   4

ECONOMIST   2

CEO   5

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And that is all I have to say about that, except these professions will die out in the US first due to increasing offshoring, outsourcing, consolidations (through mergers and acquisitions) of some colossally large companies, and of course news aggregation, syndication and the increasing availability of free content -- despite the general deterioration in its quality.

Douglas E Castle for The Global Futurist Blog and The Internationalist Page Blog




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