Free energy (pseudoscience)

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{{pseudoscience}}
 
'''Free energy''' is the idea that a low-cost power source can be found that requires little to no input to generate a significant amount of electricity. Such devices can be divided into two basic categories: "over-unity" devices that generate more energy than is provided in fuel to the device (essentially identical to [[perpetual motion]] machines), and devices such as [[zero-point energy]] devices that try to extract energy from either ambient conditions or exotic fuels that may not exist. Most such devices are generally found to be unworkable; however, a few of the latter type that depend on ambient radio waves can work for extremely low-power applications such as RFID or passive surveillance. <ref>The skeptical show [[MythBusters]] did a free energy show once, and only the RF-capture device, using a long-wire antenna, proved workable.</ref>
 
'''Free energy''' is the idea that a low-cost power source can be found that requires little to no input to generate a significant amount of electricity. Such devices can be divided into two basic categories: "over-unity" devices that generate more energy than is provided in fuel to the device (essentially identical to [[perpetual motion]] machines), and devices such as [[zero-point energy]] devices that try to extract energy from either ambient conditions or exotic fuels that may not exist. Most such devices are generally found to be unworkable; however, a few of the latter type that depend on ambient radio waves can work for extremely low-power applications such as RFID or passive surveillance. <ref>The skeptical show [[MythBusters]] did a free energy show once, and only the RF-capture device, using a long-wire antenna, proved workable.</ref>
  
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[[Category:Pseudoscience]]

Revision as of 19:32, 28 July 2007

Pseudoscience Alert
This topic is a pseudoscience, and is not accepted by the scientific community as a valid discipline.
Although it may use scientific terminology, it does not use scientific methodology.
Remember: just because it sounds right doesn't mean it's actually right.

Free energy is the idea that a low-cost power source can be found that requires little to no input to generate a significant amount of electricity. Such devices can be divided into two basic categories: "over-unity" devices that generate more energy than is provided in fuel to the device (essentially identical to perpetual motion machines), and devices such as zero-point energy devices that try to extract energy from either ambient conditions or exotic fuels that may not exist. Most such devices are generally found to be unworkable; however, a few of the latter type that depend on ambient radio waves can work for extremely low-power applications such as RFID or passive surveillance. [1]

Free energy is a popular research subject for fringe inventors, but because of a lack of positive results that meet scientific standards, the field has become a haven for fraud and pseudoscience.

See also

Footnotes

  1. The skeptical show MythBusters did a free energy show once, and only the RF-capture device, using a long-wire antenna, proved workable.
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