Researchers have developed a material that could make people or objects invisible to infrared night-vision tools. The primary application would be military use. The counter-infrared material is based on fictional dinosaurs and squids. While these fantasy elements add a touch of the esoteric, the resultant technology has a practical use and it could be used to protect soldiers and structures. Devised at University of California at Irvine, the material rapidly alters how it reflects heat. This makes the material invisible to infrared night-vision sensors. The research shows how thin swatches of material can speedily alter how they reflect heat. This is by smoothing or wrinkling their surfaces in less than one second, following an activity like being stretched or being subject to an electrical trigger.
