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hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
5. Einstein was nuts until the eclipse observations proved
Fri Aug 1, 2014, 02:53 PM
Aug 2014

that he was right all along. I can't believe human understanding of physics ended with Einstein.

Woo is woo until enlightenment Aug 2014 #1
Isn't that how science should work? nt Logical Aug 2014 #11
Of course. enlightenment Aug 2014 #12
It's like Dara O'Briain's comment about "natural medicine" backscatter712 Aug 2014 #59
Sometimes you need a leap. Rigid skeptics hate that. DirkGently Aug 2014 #86
Scientific Method. n-t Logical Aug 2014 #87
Still Often Requires a Dubious Leap. n/t DirkGently Aug 2014 #88
I'm thinking that Big Oil will thwart this somehow because of its potential for kelliekat44 Aug 2014 #55
I don't think you are. enlightenment Aug 2014 #57
I guarantee you the people working on this are scientists. Marr Aug 2014 #100
I think you responded to the wrong person, Marr! enlightenment Aug 2014 #103
the term "woo" is such silly BS -- it truly diminishes some important groundbreaking work nashville_brook Aug 2014 #2
Not at all...... Logical Aug 2014 #17
Oh for gawd's sake. crim son Aug 2014 #27
"Woo" is about the most unscientific term you can use aint_no_life_nowhere Aug 2014 #89
exactly G_j Aug 2014 #95
Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #3
I think this is the worst-written science article I've seen. jeff47 Aug 2014 #4
Mmmm. Not quite. Electricity is not the fuel. Satellites are not the only anticipated application. DirkGently Aug 2014 #8
The effect is caused by microwaves, generated electrically. jeff47 Aug 2014 #20
It has wider application than that ... The Traveler Aug 2014 #24
Usually when people say "long distance spaceflight" in normal media jeff47 Aug 2014 #26
Actually, low thrust is fine for long distances. DirkGently Aug 2014 #30
Low thrust doesn't get you there fast enough if you have humans on board. jeff47 Aug 2014 #32
Not necessarily jberryhill Aug 2014 #101
Could it be possible that other "particles" could be used for electricity generation as they're Uncle Joe Aug 2014 #77
No. Perpetual motion machines are impossible. jeff47 Aug 2014 #78
Except that if the article is correct, the particles appear from 'nowhere'. Sirveri Aug 2014 #96
No. jeff47 Aug 2014 #97
Fuel in this case is simply propellent, unlike in chemical rocket engines, which are... Humanist_Activist Aug 2014 #69
Einstein was nuts until the eclipse observations proved hifiguy Aug 2014 #5
I can't believe that anyone seriously thought Einstein was nuts. Orrex Aug 2014 #34
True, but his theories were thought to be either hifiguy Aug 2014 #36
Okay, I can go with that. Orrex Aug 2014 #37
"They laughed at the Wright Brothers." Frank Cannon Aug 2014 #56
Stop rewriting the history of Einstein mathematic Aug 2014 #80
K&R Go Vols Aug 2014 #6
It's not perpetual motion at all. Energy is supplied to MineralMan Aug 2014 #7
It kind of is if quantum fluctuation particles drive the engine and are created perpetually . Kablooie Aug 2014 #14
Still, energy is input into the system. MineralMan Aug 2014 #15
THANK You. Treant Aug 2014 #19
Perpetual motion. Not "perpetual energy." DirkGently Aug 2014 #35
Same difference Treant Aug 2014 #38
I know the term of art "perpetual motion" requires zero energy input. DirkGently Aug 2014 #45
Given that Treant Aug 2014 #50
It's a thruster that requires no reaction mass. backscatter712 Aug 2014 #60
Yeah, but it still takes energy (electricity) to accelerate the reaction mass.. sir pball Aug 2014 #74
Yes, but, 1000 J = 1000 N * M. joshcryer Aug 2014 #79
Call me a skeptic. hunter Aug 2014 #9
It does come off a bit like "something from nothing." DirkGently Aug 2014 #16
The Wonders That Await colsohlibgal Aug 2014 #10
Quantum Vacuum Plasma Thruster Bosonic Aug 2014 #13
I'm still holding on for the infinite improbability drive.. IDemo Aug 2014 #18
It should be any moment sarisataka Aug 2014 #21
That's already been perfected jmowreader Aug 2014 #22
You are confusing it with sarisataka Aug 2014 #28
would you like a cup of something awoke_in_2003 Aug 2014 #49
This all sounds vaguely familiar DirkGently Aug 2014 #53
when you pass through doors.. awoke_in_2003 Aug 2014 #54
Here I am, brain the size of a planet, DirkGently Aug 2014 #61
K&R DeSwiss Aug 2014 #23
''Disobedience was man's Original Virtue.''' DirkGently Aug 2014 #63
Really wish people wouldn't abuse the term "woo" DRoseDARs Aug 2014 #25
the case to use "woo" here is pretty legit, I think paulkienitz Aug 2014 #33
And you'd be wrong to think that. DRoseDARs Aug 2014 #51
Sci-Fi has had repulsive tech for decades.... Spitfire of ATJ Aug 2014 #29
I'll put $50 on it coming to nothing in the end paulkienitz Aug 2014 #31
Ditto. Treant Aug 2014 #39
I was thinking more that it would come to nothing in the sense paulkienitz Aug 2014 #43
Frankly, I'm unimpressed by a lot of NASA bleeding-edge "science" caraher Aug 2014 #40
If space is a vacuum (relative to human existence, and Eleanors38 Aug 2014 #42
one would hope that they allowed for photon momentum paulkienitz Aug 2014 #44
Their paper is pretty low on specifics caraher Aug 2014 #47
XKCD took up this topic today, and guess what: paulkienitz Aug 2014 #104
I just saw that xkcd caraher Aug 2014 #105
if 20KW is going in, it must come out somewhere paulkienitz Aug 2014 #107
True caraher Aug 2014 #108
Awesome! silverweb Aug 2014 #41
Hmm...and what happens to the spaceship and crew that enter parts of the void Rex Aug 2014 #46
Well it also runs on diesel. Or banana peels and coffee grounds, obviously. DirkGently Aug 2014 #48
Good I have an endless supply of material then. Rex Aug 2014 #52
blahahaaahahaa! nashville_brook Aug 2014 #62
Correct me if I'm wrong, but these particles are pretty much everywhere in the universe. backscatter712 Aug 2014 #58
As far as we know, we haven't actually mapped out a lot of space yet. Rex Aug 2014 #81
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. nashville_brook Aug 2014 #64
You still need to generate the electricity to run the reactor Motown_Johnny Aug 2014 #65
If any of that is true, such technology would resemble that formerly DirkGently Aug 2014 #66
I guess it depends on how you define "magic". Motown_Johnny Aug 2014 #67
God-fucking-dammit, it is NOT woo coming true, and its not a perpetual motion machine... Humanist_Activist Aug 2014 #68
It has most certainly been categorized as "woo" by many people. DirkGently Aug 2014 #71
Bullshit, if someone was claiming the quantum consciousness was driving the device... Humanist_Activist Aug 2014 #82
Nope. "“Alright!” they said. “We’ll test your stupid drive that won’t work.” DirkGently Aug 2014 #83
I have little doubt that the people working on it are "mirthless empiricists". Marr Aug 2014 #102
We've known of this phenomenon for a long time as zero-point energy or the Casimir effect derby378 Aug 2014 #70
Has it ever been demonstrated in a practical environment? DirkGently Aug 2014 #72
I believe it has, on a very small scale derby378 Aug 2014 #73
Skeptics generally call the Casimir effect "woo" do they not? DirkGently Aug 2014 #85
The Casimir effect is not considered woo, but some of the claims associated with it are derby378 Aug 2014 #90
Namely "useable energy," right. So wouldn't this be that? DirkGently Aug 2014 #91
It depends on the specific claim derby378 Aug 2014 #92
The only people I've ever heard talk about the Casimir effect are woo-peddlers Hugabear Aug 2014 #99
(1) There is no adequate theory struggle4progress Aug 2014 #75
Precisely why this story lies on the boundary of what skeptics call "woo." DirkGently Aug 2014 #84
Not perpetual motion intaglio Aug 2014 #76
It may be woo after all. backscatter712 Aug 2014 #93
Skepticism. Not arch contempt for anything unlikely or unusual. DirkGently Aug 2014 #94
This universe likes to do things that pisses off scientists. Rex Aug 2014 #98
With a flux capacitor, powered by cold fusion, the possibilities are limitless (nt) Nye Bevan Aug 2014 #106
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