Cap'n wrote:
> In article <01be3893$bc446720$LocalHost at default>,
>kcarmstron at coastnet.com says...
> >
> >
> >Please help a newbie understand
> >
> >
> >What is "zero point energy"
>> Energy that is extracted from a vacuum.
>
More specifically, it refers to the idea that it may be
possible to extract energy from the quantum fluctuations in a
vacuum.
There exists something called the "Casimir force" when two
surfaces are brought *very* close together, close enough that
there are very few virtual particles coming into existence
between the plates. The resultant "pressure" outside the plates
pushes them closer together.
There are those who think it's possible to extract energy from
this force, and a number of crackpots and charletans like
Puthoff are pushing it as a source of free energy. Most
physicists have their doubts, since the force is a one-way
gradient, like gravity. The only way to extract energy from
gravity is to start by inputting energy to move something up
the gradient so it can move down it.
