Curious Cases
Invisibility Quest
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.
29:36
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Quick takeaways
- The podcast explores how light wavelengths determine visibility, revealing complexities in our perception of reality and invisible phenomena.
- It discusses the intriguing concepts of dark matter and dark energy, which are essential yet undetectable components of the universe, challenging our understanding of astrophysics.
Deep dives
Understanding Invisibility
Invisibility refers to objects or phenomena that cannot be perceived by the naked eye. The conversation highlights that while air is made from matter, it remains invisible because light wavelengths pass through it without obstruction. Moreover, if humans possessed infrared vision, they would perceive the atmosphere differently, recognizing it as opaque. This emphasizes the complexities of visibility versus invisibility, indicating that our perception of reality is limited to certain wavelengths of light.
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