Star Trek’s Cloaking Device Is Now Real

Spaceship airborn © by g7ahn

It seems science fiction has turned into science non-fiction with the announcement that researchers have invented a cloaking device. Yes, scientists at Duke University have developed a technology that makes objects seem to disappear. For those who are unfamiliar with the most famous cloaking device, allow me to transport you to the original Star Trek series and the cloaking device that almost tore the universe apart.

In the TV series, the cloaking device was developed by the Federation’s (the good guys) enemy, the Romulans (the bad guys) and installed in a space ship manned by their one and only female captain. I know it sounds very Gloria Steinem-ish but it was the 1960s and even I, watching this show for the first time in the 1970s as a re-run, knew this bit of sexual equality was not all it was cracked up to be and this female leader would crumble.

Anyway, Captain Kirk found out about the cloaking device and came up with this ruse to steal it from his archenemy. He had plastic surgery done to look like a Romulan, and then he managed to get a job on the Romulan ship ( yep; no resume, interview or anything) where he not only won the hearts of that crew but the heart of the female captain who forgot all her military training and not only slept with Kirk but divulged important Romulan secrets to him as well ( it was the 1960s so there were no bed scenes, just a lot of innuendo). To this day, I am not sure why Kirk had to have sex with the Romulan captain, but that was Kirk.  At the end of the episode, the female captain realized she was used too late. She is captured, and Kirk steals the cloaking device and installs it into the Enterprise making the ship disappear just as the Romulans are ready to fire upon it..

As complicated as that sounds, it is not nearly as complicated as the real cloaking device which so far has only partially worked on a small cylinder device at Duke University.  I guess they can make the cylinder disappear, but the researchers are having no success making it  re-appear again, which as it turns out, is a pretty big issue.

Despite its imperfections, the cloaking device is being hailed as a major victory for the scientific world.  This accomplishment has come about after years of working with complicated mathematical formulas and oodles of scientific experimentation, all of which I would explain to you but it would take too much time for me to put it in layman’s terms (translation: Math makes my stomach hurt and I need a calculator to find the sum of 2+2.)

Even though the Duke cloaking device might not be as perfect as Captain Kirk’s, it is an exciting experiment in the making. I hope the Duke people get this cloaking device up to speed as I wouldn’t mind having one.  I know of at least one speed trap in my neighborhood where I could have fun with the cops.  Who says science can’t be fun?

My good friend Phoenix Emrys, writer and Star Trek junkie, has informed me I had a plot mixup and it was Mr. Spock who had the romantic triste with the Romulan chick.  Thanks Phee! Kirk did get his ears done to look like a Romulan and he did sleep with every other alien in the universe, but not this one!  Thanks Phee!!! 

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9 thoughts on “Star Trek’s Cloaking Device Is Now Real”

  1. Donna, I love you, you know that, but I feel it is my duty, as a life-long Trek afficiando (not going to get pulled into the whole Trekker/Trekkie thing), not to mention having lost my heart to Mr Spock at an early, early, age, while you are entirely correct about Captain Kirk being the one who got the surgically enhanced ears and went covert to steal the cloaking device you are slightly confused about who wooed and won the heart of the Romulan Commander.

    It was not our aforementioned Captain Kirk, it was Mr Spock. The Madam Commander was understandably FASCINATED with our logic Vulcan from their first encounter and both Kirk and Spock used this interest to draw the commander’s fire as it were. keeping the lady distracted with some touchy/feely mind meld action after dinner and then a treason trial when Spock confesses, upon the discovery of the theft, he was in on it. (yes, I have seen this episode more than once why do you ask). Just to get one more minute with him she allows herself to be captured, grabbing onto Spock when she realizes the Enterprise has locked on and is effecting a transporter resuce.

    So it wasn’t Kirk that won Fair Romulan Lady’s heart, it was Mr Spock. Just needed to get that one wee point clarified, otherwise, great piece!

    Carry on….

    la la lal….

  2. It makes something disappear but not re-appear? I’d love to apply this to my mortgage. Good observation about Kirk — he never had to do interviews or furnish resumes.

  3. Who knew that it would be harder to make an un-cloaking device than it would be to make a cloaking device?! They should make a small version of this for making cobwebs disappear! Out of sight, out of mind.

    1. Honestly, Mike, I hope I have that right. The one article said they only got it work one way and talked about making things disappear, so I assumed the other way it didn’t work was making it re-appear. LOL I hope no one zaps me for mistakes. 🙂

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