Invisibility

“The science of invisibility remains largely theoretical and abstract. It is in the literature that the field comes alive, and Gbur may be the world’s leading expert on invisibility fiction.”—Nathaniel Rich, New York Times Book Review

“Gbur steers us through the sometimes challenging history of the ideas on which current research depends. . . . A list that helps us appreciate the potential benefits of invisible cats.”—Richard Dunn, Times Literary Supplement

“Gbur shows how optical science and ideas about the atom intertwined over two centuries. . . . I defy you not to spend your next paycheck hunting down the wilder items in Gbur’s ‘Invisibibliography.’”—Simon Ings, Fortean Times

“Entertaining. . . . A robust examination of a fascinating field of research.”—Publishers Weekly

“The dual nature (particle and wave properties) of light, reflection and refraction, imaging technologies, modern stealth aircraft, and fascinating metamaterials are all discussed. Beginning in 2006, interest among scientists in invisibility cloaking escalated as they ascertained whether it’s actually possible. . . . Might its applicability be destined primarily for military use or nefarious intentions? In his conclusion, Gbur wittily predicts that ‘the future of invisibility is very hard to see.’”—Tony Miksanek, Booklist

“Gbur presents a strong argument about the innovative, imaginative value of sci-fi, and invisibility is the perfect case study.”—Engineering & Technology

A Publishers Weekly Top 10 Science Book, Spring 2023 Announcements Issue

A CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2023

“Invisibility is such an addictive book, packed with smart and weird science, literature and culture, Greg Gbur’s elegant prose, and the fascinating question of whether we may one day be able to achieve that long-held dream of vanishing in a shimmer of light.”—Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Poison Squad: One Chemist’s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the 20th Century

“A lovely, well-informed book on the science and fiction of invisibility.”—Ulf Leonhardt, author of Geometry and Light: The Science of Invisibility

“Greg Gbur weaves an engaging tapestry of literature, history, and physics to illustrate how an idea that has captivated human imagination for thousands of years may one day become a reality.”—Liz Heinecke, author of Radiant: The Dancer, The Scientist, and a Friendship Forged in Light

“A well-written and engaging overview of the history of optics, taking the reader on a fascinating scientific journey.”—Andrea Alù, founding director of the Photonics Initiative at the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center