There's a science fiction novel by British writer HG Wells (circa 1897) called the Invisible Man where the author explores the dark side of people turning invisible.
The scientist in the novel was a rogue and his goal of being able to turn invisible had nothing to do with advancing humanity. His name was Griffin, and he intended to commit crimes without fear of being caught. But being invisible turned out to be a curse. He couldn't return to his normal state. Because of that he developed a deep sense of isolation, and it drove him to madness and terrorism.
Fast Forward to Reality
Turns out the future of making things invisible is just around the corner! That's right. Fiction becoming fact.
Scientists today say they have solved the mystery of an insect's invisibility coat that can manipulate light. You may have never heard of Leafhoppers, but the tiny common bugs are really special. They are the only species on the planet that secrete brochosomes: rare nanoparticles with invisibility properties. Yes, that special.
For the first time, a group of scientists have created their own synthetic brochosomes. Their ultimate goal is to use them one day for invisible cloaking devices for all kinds of technologies.
In the next few years, they could find their way into a range of commercial applications - from solar energy to pharmaceuticals - according to the lead investigator Tak Sing Wong, professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering at Penn State.
The beauty of synthetic brochosomes is they can be made at different sizes and thus tailored to absorb and scatter different wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum. That means they are very versatile and can even form around bodies.
I can see this new technology is also destined for military uses and possibly beyond. The beyond is when they develop a way to make a human invisible with the ability to return to their normal state at the push of a button (or something along those lines). The results would more than likely be catastrophic and world changing. It's a scary thought.
Would you want to be Invisible?
The catch is you'd have to stay that way and couldn't return to your normal self. In return you could literally live off the land(s) and go anywhere in the world for free. Food and transportation. Free. The possibilities are endless. I suspect it would be paradise for a voyeur.
As it Stands, the idea of a common insect being the catalyst for invisibility possibilities sounds crazier than HG Wells method of using chemicals in the novel.