Final answer:
The ability to look through a wall is achieved through the use of materials like glass that allow light to pass through, and this concept is explored in physics. Examples from history and art, such as the use of colored glass in architecture and Anatsui's installation Gli (Wall), demonstrate the innovative ways light can be manipulated to create transparent or semi-transparent barriers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The invention that allows you to look right through a wall is not a singular device but a concept rooted in physics, specifically the manipulation of light. Natural light makes it possible to see through spaces where walls are replaced or supplemented with materials that allow light to pass through, such as glass. In historic architecture, as mentioned by Dr. Steven Zucker, this was accomplished by engineering the structures to support large areas of colored glass, letting luminous color flood into the spaces. The practice of creating transparent or semi-transparent barriers, as artist Anatsui did with Gli (Wall), also illustrates the idea of a see-through wall.
Additionally, methods from early photographic technology, the camera obscura, the pinhole projector, and observational techniques as described in the excerpt about Wall Street lend insight into the interaction between light and various surfaces. These examples bridge the concepts of visual perception, art, and physics. Whether through ancient technology or modern artistic expression, the ability to peer through what would normally obstruct our vision relies fundamentally on the properties and behavior of light.