Q&A With John Pendry

This is a quick question and answer with John Pendry, the person responsible for many of the physics behind metamaterials. I can totally understand why he gets tired of having being repeatedly asked about the "invisibility cloak".

Valerie Jamieson: Invisibility cloaks can guide light around objects as if they weren't there. It is awe-inspiring physics. So why the frustration?

John Pendry: It's when I give talks, particularly popular ones. Of all the things I am interested in, I am always asked about invisibility cloaks. I think, "Oh God, not another invisibility cloak lecture." I still enjoy giving them, but there are many other things I'm working on that are more profound; they just don't have that fertile soil which J. K. Rowling prepared for us.

Zz.