Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Irish tech firm throws down "free energy" gauntlet

jpsmith123 - 18-8-2006 at 20:44

I wonder what's going on with this...maybe just another "free energy" from "magnets" scam?

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060817/sc_nm/technology_energy_...

DUBLIN (Reuters) - An Irish technology firm issued a challenge to the world's scientific community on Friday to give its verdict on technology it says smashes one of the basic laws of physics by producing "free energy."

Dublin-based Steorn said it had placed an advertisement in The Economist magazine seeking 12 top physicists to examine the technology -- based on the interaction of magnetic fields -- and publish their results.

"We fully accept there is going to be cynicism surrounding this but what we're saying to the world of science is come and prove us wrong," said Steorn Chief Executive Sean McCarthy.

"The answer to the question we're posing is too big not to look," he added.

The concept of "free energy" -- which contradicts the first law of thermodynamics that in layman's terms states you cannot get more energy out than you put in -- has divided the scientific community for centuries.

The Internet is awash with claims to have cracked the problem using magnets, coils and even crystals.

McCarthy, a founder of Steorn in 2000, said the company discovered the technology while using magnets to try to devise more efficient wind generators and had spent the past three years developing it.

"We put in a small amount of mechanical energy and we get a large amount out ... but until this thing is validated by science we won't be doing anything commercial with it," he said.

DeAdFX - 18-8-2006 at 21:43

I made a nuclear reactor out of old chewing gum, a paper clip, and a rubber band...

"The Internet is awash with claims to have cracked the problem using magnets, coils and even crystals."

Sounds to Mcgyverish(sp)

bio2 - 18-8-2006 at 23:16

Motionless Electromagnetic Generator US 6362718 B1 Mar. 26, 2002

Well it ain't a Motionless Nuclear Reactor but I ran out of paper clips, LOL.

Interesting nevertheless, although the magnets eventually wear out this seems valid and has all the drawings.

What isn't stated is how long do they last and how much do these babies cost?

This must be the catch, the "free energy" isn't so free when the magnets cost more than the over-unity equivalent energy cost.

Now, if one had access to cheap or free used magnets then???
So who will be the first to build one? Seems simple enough.

unionised - 19-8-2006 at 03:53

"McCarthy, a founder of Steorn in 2000, said the company discovered the technology while using magnets to try to devise more efficient wind generators and had spent the past three years developing it.

"We put in a small amount of mechanical energy and we get a large amount out ... but until this thing is validated by science we won't be doing anything commercial with it," he said. "

So I guess it won't ever be commercial then.

Scam ?

MadHatter - 19-8-2006 at 05:09

Does this sound like a scam ? I guess 20 or so years ago, people would claim to have a
device that produces energy out of nowhere, get a patent, and then the oil companies
would buy the device to keep it off the market. Does this sound like where this claim is
heading ?

Polverone - 19-8-2006 at 09:22

Quote:
Originally posted by MadHatter
Does this sound like a scam ? I guess 20 or so years ago, people would claim to have a
device that produces energy out of nowhere, get a patent, and then the oil companies
would buy the device to keep it off the market. Does this sound like where this claim is
heading?

I thought that the patent office didn't accept perpetual motion machines, at least not without a working model. And were oil companies really stupid enough to be afraid of somebody's claimed perpetual motion machine? Might as well be afraid of witches and fairies.

I read somewhere else that Steorn had a credit processing fraud prevention business, so maybe this is a stunt to show how people need protection against fraud.

12AX7 - 19-8-2006 at 09:54

The USPTO is just a BS institution nowadays.

I don't see what everyone is afraid of, it'll just be a waste of the physicists' time. It's an open invitation, people...

Tim

jpsmith123 - 19-8-2006 at 19:22

Their web site is here:

http://www.steorn.net/en/technology.aspx?p=5

franklyn - 19-8-2006 at 22:31

Read about it in wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motionless_Electrical_Generator
Read about it in detail
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Lab/3354/megpaper.pdf
Peer reviewed journal
http://www.springerlink.com/content/nw26m20312236201
Critically reviewed
http://www.phact.org/e/z/meg.pdf
http://www.nuscam.com/pdf/garbage_physics.pdf

http://www.newscientist.com/backpage.ns?id=mg18925342.100
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=00034DF5-683F-1D7...
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa006&colID=7&am...

Enter "Motionless Electrical Generator" with the quotes into google
for all the hits

This has been around a few years. The device itself looks just like a
transformer, permanent magnets replace part of the laminated core.
Essentially it works like a magnetic chuck in which small selonoids pulse
to redirect the flux cyclically from one path to another and back again.
The idea is not so far out of line from ordinary generators, in that, the
electricity you are using now is produced by generators which tap some
of their output to power their own field coils. A tip off to ecentric claims
is that when conventional physics cannot explain how a thing can function
as claimed, a "new" revolutionary theory is invoked. The promoters do not
seem to be fraudulent, it just may be that old gotcha of faulty measurements.
See -> http://www.phact.org/e/z/bearden
There is nothing quite as treacherous as getting accurate power
readings with complex waveforms of inductive reactance.

Good site , lots more like this here
http://www.theverylastpageoftheinternet.com/menu/mainold.htm
And this too
http://merlib.org/mirror/pgfed

.

Rosco Bodine - 5-11-2006 at 20:55

I just have to get me a few dozen Moray diodes ,
for powering the antigravity drive and death ray
weapons on my starship :D

http://www.cheniere.org/books/excalibur/moray.htm

Seriously , Moray sounds like Teslas cousin in
some ways .....and this is a very strange and
interesting story .....another electrical X-file .

Blind Angel - 6-11-2006 at 07:53

According to Steorn Wikipedia entry:
"Steorn states on 11 October 2006 the synopses have been filtered down to the completed ones, and that applicants are being contacted regarding time availability to begin Phase 1 of the challenge. The resulting short-list includes all applicants who filed sufficient details. Steorn noted: "Combined, these applicants represent: 262 degrees, 127 masters degrees, 103 doctorates, 3074 published academic papers and 4220 years of experience". [35]"
And the last news update is from November 5th (which is yesterday), so it might be worthy to check up again in a while since it's an on-going news. I don't put much faith, but at least they seem to be honest. I wonder who they chosed as a jury though.