Scientists create "cloak of silence" -- serial killing will never be the same

Someday in the near future, the act of banging on your neighbor's door at 3 am because he won't stop playing I Can't Go For That at obnoxious volumes will be unheard of. Literally. Scientists have demonstrated a "cloak of silence" in the New Journal of Physics which might be used to build homes, concert halls, or aircraft which are impervious to sound waves. The process works by utilizing "sonic crystals," a meta-material made up of arrays of small cylinders which would channel sound around an object like water flowing around a rock. Says creator Dr. Sanchez-Dehesa, "It's not an unrealistic blueprint - it doesn't demand that we do extraordinary things... this is something that can easily be manufactured." Make it soon, please, we can't stand Hall & Oates.

[greg @ Jun 13th 2008 9:00AM]

Wow, imagine the applications. Sound proofing is great and all, but I wonder if this could be adapated for stealth technology. Just another form of energy to redirect

[Hackius @ Jun 13th 2008 9:02AM]

FAIL!

Sound is a mechanical wave not EM energy

[bohsocks @ Jun 13th 2008 9:15AM]

Don't talk shit about Hall & Oates.

[Shinigami @ Jun 13th 2008 10:16AM]

If light is the same kind of wave as sound (kinda similar but kinda different) that would be possible. If not, either physics need to retire already or its really not possible. And you know, "impossible is just a word" xD

[Jason @ Jun 13th 2008 11:25AM]

@hackius

So is water.

[R @ Jun 13th 2008 11:23AM]

@Hackius: There is energy in bumping and grinding, too!

[Matthew Hilario @ Jun 13th 2008 11:56AM]

they should adapt one for my wife's mouth. that should be their creative direction not stealth techology.

[SimbaDogg @ Jun 13th 2008 12:42PM]

Sorry...Hall & Oates are great, maybe engadget needs a lil lesson in style.
I Can't Go For That
She's Gone
You Make My Dreams Come True
Kiss on my list...
and i dont even have to mention maneater or maniac....those boys can sing.

[Monu @ Jun 13th 2008 9:02AM]

Private ears. They're listnin to you. Checking your ev'ry move.

Guitar Solo!

[Mike @ Jun 13th 2008 9:34AM]

is it just me, or does that phrase sound like a lolcat one? :P

[Fr0 @ Jun 13th 2008 9:02AM]

it would also make the mile high club that much easier! ;)

[David85 @ Jun 13th 2008 9:07AM]

Why is it going to suddenly make you more attractive? I'm sure every one inside the plane could still hear you...

[Das Boot @ Jun 13th 2008 9:09AM]

Yes, now you can moan out "who's your daddy" without worrying that 6 year old next to the bathroom will hear your partner go "you are!"

[natels @ Jun 13th 2008 9:30AM]

I'm pretty sure they would use this for the noise outside of the planes, not for the bathrooms..

[Leo @ Jun 13th 2008 9:19AM]

home recording just got better (oh please, please be affordable one day...)

[Shinigami @ Jun 13th 2008 10:17AM]

Lets wish it will be widely available soon at an affordable price and not requiring anything extra-ordinary :)

[KaZ @ Jun 13th 2008 9:20AM]

" "

[KaZ @ Jun 13th 2008 9:21AM]

Yeah, it works !

[Brad713 @ Jun 13th 2008 9:23AM]

Read Michio Kaku's book, Physics of the Impossible. He talks about this and talks about using it with microwaves and eventually using it with light waves. It's pretty cool stuff

[IT-Accountant @ Jun 13th 2008 9:25AM]

"I request a cone of silence"

[Frun @ Jun 13th 2008 9:28AM]

M-E-T-H-O-D-O-F-L-O-V-E FTW!!

[Revels @ Jun 13th 2008 9:29AM]

I can't go for that. No. No can do.

[toxicpiano @ Jun 13th 2008 9:37AM]

In the kitchen noone can hear you scream

[Ace b @ Jun 13th 2008 10:42AM]

Same thing goes for the hallways.
the bathroom
the bedroom
the living room
the dining room
the garage
the front steps
the list goes on...

[Kurian @ Jun 13th 2008 9:38AM]

*shuffle* *shuffle* *shuffle* *shuffle*
[MBT] A|ien {Knife} [Noobz] Blee

[Mike @ Jun 13th 2008 9:44AM]

Forget stealth technology. This is the one remaining feature I've been waiting for Honda to put into their Odyssey Minivan. Install one of these puppies around each of the rear seats and that 8-hour drive to grandma's house suddenly got a lot shorter. Honda? Are you listening????

[Shinigami @ Jun 13th 2008 10:19AM]

Nope, they don't care ;)

[Ace b @ Jun 13th 2008 10:43AM]

nope,they arent listening cause they have one of these working already.

[Hoffy @ Jun 13th 2008 9:50AM]

Joshua - are we neighbors? Cause I love blasting the H&O!

[CosterMonger @ Jun 13th 2008 9:58AM]

- Bathroom Stalls
- Loud Flatulence
- Kathy Griffin

and MANY MORE!

[Brian @ Jun 13th 2008 10:12AM]

I second Kathy ...and Rosie too.

[Ian @ Jun 13th 2008 1:50PM]

can we just add Opra in there to seal the deal?

[robotrock @ Jun 13th 2008 10:08AM]

Hall & Oates > Engadget.

[Alex Padilla @ Jun 13th 2008 10:23AM]

This sound stuff is cool and all, but I want my damn invisibility cloak!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12961080/

[Punknudder @ Jun 13th 2008 12:38PM]

gay

[Alexandre, o tabajara @ Jun 13th 2008 10:28AM]

Hey, I do like "I can't go for that", and Dary Hall and John Oates. Are you looking for bad things? Look for "brazilian rap", "pagode", "sertanejo" or "axe music" in the p2p of your prefference. Now we're talking sh1t.

[Breno @ Jun 14th 2008 5:08AM]

Péla...

[KM @ Jun 13th 2008 10:32AM]

All these comments and no one has made a funny joke about the picture? C'mon guys.....

[Jay Voorhees @ Jun 13th 2008 11:21AM]

Hey, that kinda looks like my mom...leave her alone or I come kill you with Chainsaw.

[Carrie @ Jun 13th 2008 11:05AM]

Sonic crystals? You mean Chaos Emeralds?

[telepheedian @ Jun 13th 2008 12:44PM]

Highest Ranked is back!

(yes, I know you can see it by clicking on the comment, its nice to see it back in the threads).

[Usagimaru @ Jun 13th 2008 11:18AM]

For the love of god please start putting this in cars.
I don't care if you "Got King Kong in da trunk" I don't want to listen to it!

[Jaon @ Jun 13th 2008 11:26AM]

I've just never seen that in print before, SO in my mind, I always hear it as Holland Oats, and I think, "What a dumb name for a band!"

[Zak @ Jun 13th 2008 11:37AM]

But I love Hall & Oates! And I would blast them at 3 AM. I probably need a house built out of that stuff.

[Hex @ Jun 13th 2008 11:55AM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mmudqfys9U

And uh, that's why I can't go for that.

[Jesse @ Jun 13th 2008 12:19PM]

If this technology come to market, and they choose to make another Get Smart Movie, they are going to have to reinvent the running "Cone of Silence" gag.

[fourthletter @ Jun 13th 2008 12:29PM]

But can they come up with a material to direct fan-boi posts around me ? I could wear it everyday and never hear about iPhones or MBAs

[Zak @ Jun 13th 2008 12:49PM]

This thread would have been completely iPhone free but then YOU brought it up. How's that for irony?

[Capt. Sarcasm @ Jun 13th 2008 1:31PM]

What's this Rony you speak of?

As is 'iRony'.

Is this an exciting new Apple product for pressing shirts?

Explain yourself. Where can I buy one of these?

[Fae Jayo @ Jun 13th 2008 12:44PM]

How about Gustav Holst? Now I could go for that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6NopU9K_8M