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"There's no point in making a mistake unless you understand the mistake so that you don’t make it again."
- Alfred Bester

Ether-Wall  
  An invisibility field.  

This is the first reference that I know of to an invisibility field.

An ether-wall is an invisibility cloak; it ensures that you cannot be "seen" visually or by using any form of energy.

"...An ordinary ether-wall is opaque in one direction and doesn't bar matter - you are transparent both ways and something more than impenetrable to matter. How do you do it?"

You could not understand them if I explained them to you, and they are merely two of our smaller developments. I do not intend to destroy your planet Earth; I have no desire to rule over masses of futile and brainless men...

This structure is ... indetectable and invisible - ether waves are bent around it without loss or distortion."

Technovelgy from Triplanetary, by E.E. 'Doc' Smith.
Published by Not known in 1934
Additional resources -

Invisibility fields are now common in science fiction; this concept made some key appearances in both the classic Trek television show, and in the Star Trek movies, for example.

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Triplanetary
  More Ideas and Technology by E.E. 'Doc' Smith
  Tech news articles related to Triplanetary
  Tech news articles related to works by E.E. 'Doc' Smith

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