Electromagnetic blackhole violates 2nd law of thermodynamics?

[JustinLevy]

I'm sure most people here have heard about the microwave "invisibility cloak" that was made with metamaterials. For those that haven't heard, basically electrodynamics can be rewritten to handle changes in refractive index of materials with GR like tools where instead the background is 'curved'. I even saw a physics colloquim about this, and the guy claimed that maybe even 'blackhole' equivalents could be made.

That seemed really strange to me, as it seems to violate the second law of thermodynamics. (for now you truly have a "thermal diode" it seems). I brought this up during Q&A and it turned into a rapid discussion with many professors offering guesses. Sadly the speaker didn't seem to understand the issue, and since his talk wasn't about these 'black-holes' anyway, we moved on.

But now, apparently someone has created an actual model (granted only at a certain wavelength and in 2-D)
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=electromagnetic-black-hole

Seriously, how does this not violate the second law of thermodynamics?
Actually, now that I think of it, the 'cloaking' would still allow light emitted from the center to reach the outside ... so that too seems to allow a "thermal diode" and cause problems as well.

How is this possible?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Discussed https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=346343".

 

[Entropia]

The concept of an electromagnetic black hole does not necessarily violate the second law of thermodynamics. The second law states that the total entropy (or disorder) of a closed system will never decrease over time. In the case of an electromagnetic black hole, the system is not closed, as it is interacting with the surrounding environment. This interaction can lead to an increase in entropy, thus not violating the second law.

Additionally, the creation of an electromagnetic black hole does not necessarily lead to a violation of the second law. The creation of such a device would require a significant amount of energy and resources, which would also contribute to an increase in entropy.

Furthermore, the concept of an electromagnetic black hole is still theoretical and has not been fully proven or tested. It is important to consider all aspects and implications before concluding that it violates the second law of thermodynamics. Scientific understanding and technology are constantly evolving, and what may seem impossible now may become a reality in the future.