The invisible pervert

[Guest]

Warning: This is one that requires a little knowledge of science and anatomy, so it's not the type of riddle that has all of the information present to figure out the answer.

Theresa, a High School gymnast, informed her fellow gymnasts that she was worried about changing in their locker room. She overheard the science teacher, Dr. Beltramba, telling the principal that he had just invented an invisibility potion that turns whoever drinks some of the potion completely invisible for 12 hours. The bad news is that someone has stolen a bottle of it from Dr. Beltramba's lab. Theresa was worried that the possessor of the potion might already be invisible and waiting in their locker room to see them undress. Donna, the lead gymnast and President of the Science Club, believed Theresa since she knew Dr. Beltramba was working on the potion, but she told Theresa that they had nothing to worry about. Since Donna did not steal the potion or know who had, how could she know that their privacy would not be violated?

[Guest]

any hints for this puzzle?

[Guest]

The warning was a big hint, but I'll ask another question that might help.

Why could an invisible man not compromise the girls' privacy?

[Guest]

I cant really think of any science and anatomy point of view, however logicly, he cant see because of somethig something (i guess thats the question) ... like if he is invisible that means he cant see because his eyes are not a solid object or smth ... i dont know

[Guest]

You basically got it, aZameGa. It's not exactly because the eyes aren't solid (even solid objects can be invisible) but it's that:

the retinas are invisible. If a person were completely invisible all light would pass right though them and he would see nothing. Even If his retinas were somehow able to absorb light, there would be two black spots in the air where they were and he would not be completely invisible. And if that were the case, he would still be blind because his head would be invisible and light would then hit the retinas from all angles. Plus the lenses in the thief's eyes would not work so no image could be focused onto his retinas.

[Guest]

wow! normally I am good at these types of riddles. I just missed this one. good one

[bonanova]

Yah I know about that potion ... I used it, actually, and it turns out that both Donna and Theresa are really hot !!!

Ooops ... given the explanation Martini gave, how could I have seen the girls ... ?

[unreality]

There isnt just one example of invisibility.

Since that indeed is impossible, making every body part magically have 0 resistance against light and let it pass through. Na-uh.

But what if you had a "slippery cloak" that would be 'slippery' in terms of the fabric/material put on the outside of the cloak, and light slides around it and keeps going somewhere in the general angle of how it came in (i.e. there would be a slight distortion in the air, from certain angles, possibly)

However even if the material was completely 'clear' otherwise, like from the inside, if light doesnt get from outside to your eyes you cant see... so maybe cut holes for your eyes? but this of course defeats the purpose, eh. But i dont think they would notice a small eye-hole, would they? lol

[bonanova]

However even if the material was completely 'clear' otherwise, like from the inside, if light doesnt get from outside to your eyes you cant see... so maybe cut holes for your eyes? but this of course defeats the purpose, eh. But i dont think they would notice a small eye-hole, would they? lol

They would. Girls always notice when they're being scoped out. Always.

Men wear shades at the beach for more reasons than just protecting their retinas from uv-radiation.

So you've established Martini's impossibility argument.

But I claim I did see both Donna and Theresa, and they did not see me.

Here's a clue:

Donna had [by far, really] the better figure, but I couldn't tell who had the better tan.

[unreality]

heat sensor?

anyway, about my earlier statement, i wasnt trying to answer your question i was just making a comment of an idea of my own i had had for a while... "slippery cloak"....

[bonanova]

heat sensor?

Basically, yup.

The invisibility potion renders people invisible to [duh] visible light - say 4000 - 7000 Angstroms.

However, for longer wavelengths, say 8000 - 12000 A, it leaves people, and their retinas, quite opaque.

The potion has the additional, un-advertised feature of making one's retina sensitive to those wavelengths.

Kind of like the IR switch on the newer camcorders and the so-called "x-ray vision" pics that some people look at on the Web.

Donna and Theresa were "hot" enough [ah, that was a clue] to emit generous amounts of energy in those wavelengths.

I have to say that the girls weren't as attractive viewed in shades of gray and without visible suntans.

But ... Donna ... well, she made up for that. *wink*

[Guest]

The potion has the additional, un-advertised feature of making one's retina sensitive to those wavelengths.

Who wouldn't advertise such a useful feature?

[bonanova]

I got my bottle of the stuff on e-Bay, and they forgot to mention it.