Curious Cases Invisibility Quest
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Apr 25, 2025 
In this intriguing discussion, Matthew Bothwell, a Public Astronomer at the University of Cambridge and author of The Invisible Universe, teams up with Andrew Pontzen, a Professor of Physics at Durham University. They explore the fascinating question of invisibility, revealing how even our own faces emit infrared light! The conversation takes a cosmic turn as they uncover stunning invisible structures in our galaxy and the dazzling nature of black holes. They also tackle the challenges behind creating invisibility cloaks with metamaterials and dive into the mysteries of dark matter and energy.
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Infrared Reveals Hidden Heat
- Infrared light is invisible to the naked eye but reveals heat and temperature differences.
- Our atmosphere is transparent to visible light but opaque to infrared, showing a hidden spectrum around us.
Human Vision Is Very Limited
- Human vision detects only a small fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum.
- The universe emits radiation across about 65 octaves, much beyond our visual range.
Different Light Reveals The Universe
- Looking at the universe in different wavelengths shows vastly different features.
- Infrared reveals dramatic dust structures and X-rays reveal black holes glowing intensely.