Magic Mirror/glass

Yes it is possible (TV and movies have it right for a change), they are called numerous names (two-way mirror, one-way mirror, one-way glass).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror

And how it works

http://science.howstuffworks.com/question421.htm

Thanks for your assistance! Now I undestand the concept behind it...

Hi...

These are reflective glasses widely used for building exteriors in countries such as India where there is bright sunshine. These types of glass facade is able to reflect most of the sunlight back to the atmosphere allowing the building to remain cool & also saving on the air conditioning load. During the daytime people inside the building can easily see outside whereas the outside persons are confronted by a mirror like surface and cannot see whats going on inside. However, this case is reversed during the night when the lights inside are brightly lit. You can see inside the building whereas the persons inside cannot see outside. It's advisable to draw the curtains if privacy is required during this time !!!

Anil Tiwari / New Delhi

to reflect most of the sunlight back to the atmosphere allowing the building to remain cool & also saving on the air conditioning load.

And add to the heat outside, assisting the global warming. Also additing to energy consumption of the AC machines because of higher temperature outside.

And add to the heat outside, assisting the global warming.

Finally someone else has caught on to the real human cause of "Global Warming". Make a very simple experiment for yourself. Take two thermometers down to the city park and put one in the grass and the other on the sidewalk. Check in 10 minutes for the temperature readings. Now imagine an acre of grass cleared and replaced with a building with 1 acre of surface on each vertical face and another acre on the roof. You have replaced 1 acre of cooler surface with 5 acres of heating surface. Now look at how many acres of heating surface have been created world-wide over the past 150 years. And then add the acres of pavement and parking lots that have been replaced on an acre-for-acre basis. Hello, Mr. Gore, were you aware of this, or were you only interested in what you could trade for "Pollution Credits"?

The solution also answers several other problems. An external framework (similar to the structures I used in greenhouse work with Texas A&M) to support vining plants to grow food for the building inhabitants would provide the cooling plant canopy to reduce the environmental heat load, help ease food shortages, and the woody non-edible parts can be converted to fuel and energy on the roof. CO2 collected from the fermentation can be used as the working fluid in a heat pump that heats the building's water supply and chills the grid that collects the water for irrigation from atmospheric condensation. Some of this is addressed on our website, www.ire-incorp.com ...george

But the best part of that strategy is the increase in viniculture and the resultant grape harvest!

Chas

Basically, its the coating or lack there of and/or the separation of the two or more surfaces in multiplane (two + layer) applications. Sometimes, an inert gas is used in the separation "air" gap. There are also types (very, very expensive) that react to UV at varying levels, adjusting the reflection or refraction automatically. If it is a safety glass application (see local codes), plexiglass is used between the layers, similar to automotive windshields.

Finally, there is a type called photochromatic; similar to eyeglasses w/ transition lenses.This type tends to darken more in lower temperatures. Miniature crystal-lattice like structures are impregnated in the glass, reacting to UV.