More on Lenses with a Negative Index of Refraction

Roland Piquepaille writes "A University of Toronto researcher has developed a flat lens that doesn't respect the "normal" laws of nature and could significantly enhance the resolution of imaged objects. "The creation of an unusual flat lens may finally resolve a long-running controversy about the existence of materials that have metaphysical qualities -- so-called "metamaterials" -- that transcend the laws of nature. The lens could lead to amplified antennas, smaller cell phones and increased data storage on CD-ROMs. As says George Eleftheriades, the Toronto professor, "This is new physics." Check this column for more details and other references to metamaterials."

Comments

Huge

[ibjhb]

A metamaterial lens "allows focusing almost two orders of magnitude higher than is possible with conventional lenses,"

If I am reading this correctly, this would have huge implications for the data storage industry. In respect to current technology, this would allow them to make DVDs hold more data then previously imagined. If you increase the ability to focus, you decrease the amount of area needed for each track on the DVD.

Metaphysical

[MrWa]

existence of materials that have metaphysical qualities -- so-called "metamaterials" -- that transcend the laws of nature.

Just the like the duckbilled platypus - stupid thing just refuses to fall into our predefined categories. Maybe we are just discovering that we don't actually know everything!