They can't match Harry Potter yet, but scientists are moving closer to creating a real cloak of invisibility. 雖然不能和哈利?波特相比，但美國科學家最近在“隱身斗篷”的研制上有了新進展。

Researchers at Duke University, who developed a material that can "cloak" an item from detection by microwaves, report that they have expanded the number of wavelengths they can block. 杜克大學的研究人員研制出一種隱形材料，可以“隱蔽”物體不被微波偵測發現。他們報告說已經拓展了隱形材料能夠阻擋的波長范圍。

In 2006 the team reported they had developed so-called metamaterials that could deflect microwaves around a three-dimensional object, essentially making it invisible to the waves. 早在2006年，這個研究小組就宣稱他們研發出了一種所謂的“超材料”，能使三維物體周圍的微波偏移，探測不到該物體的存在。

The new cloak is made up of more than 10,000 individual pieces of fiberglass arranged in parallel rows. The mathematical formulas are used to determine the shape and placement of each piece to deflect the electromagnetic waves. 新斗篷由一萬多塊平行放置的玻璃纖維單片組成。研究者運用數學公式來決定每塊單片的形狀和位置，從而偏移電磁波的方向。

The system works like a mirage, where heat causes the bending of light rays and cloaks the road ahead behind an image of the sky. 整個系統的工作原理類似海市蜃樓：熱氣導致光線扭曲，使得前方道路隱蔽在天空的影像之后。

The researchers report in the new edition of the journal Science that they have developed a series of mathematical commands to guide the development of more types of metamaterials to cloak objects from an increasing range of electromagnetic waves. 研究者將其研究成果發表在新一期的《科學》雜志上，聲稱他們已經研發出一系列數學指令，能夠引導更多種“超材料”掩護物體不被波長范圍更廣的電磁波發現。

"The new device can cloak a much wider spectrum of waves--nearly limitless," senior researcher David R. Smith said in a statement. 資深研究員戴維?R. 史密斯在一份聲明中說：“新裝置能夠遮擋范圍更廣的光波——接近于無限。”

（英語點津Jennifer編輯）

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