Solution to world strife or too much Guinness?
 

I couldn't see any threads about this, so I thought I'd jump in.

http://www.steorn.net/frontpage/default.aspx

A quick summary: An irish R&D firm believes they have created a device which has a coefficient of performance greater than 100%. In other words - a clean, infinite power source.

Now, aside from the fact this claim appears to say, "Thermodynamics? No thanks", I can't help but hoping this is true. Then again, this is coming from a guy that, while he knew Eon8 was a load of rubbish, couldn't help but hope someone was going to announce they had a commercially viable cold fusion reactor when the countdown hit 0, or some other such positively life-altering bit of news.

So, what do you all think? Elaborate hoax (as these things always seem to be) or incredible invention (as we hope these things always are).

BS. They never say anything about how it works. On their forum, they have a "Questions for Steorn" section, but they just say they'll put the answers in a FAQ, and never answer any. They have a FAQ section, but all that's in it is apologies for not finishing the FAQ yet. They are making their claims through non-scientific channels like "The Economist".

Very pretty website, though.

Not only are they trying to chuck Thermodynamics out the window but they are ignoring, or at least oversimplifying, one of the fundamental properties of the universe. Remember that little equation e=mc^2? Matter and energy are interchangable, to create one you would have to create the other. So what they are doing in essence is saying that they have figured out how to literally create new matter. Of course, if they had created a machine that converts matter into energy with 100% efficiency they could be forgiven for saying that something that heats your home all winter on a handful of dirt is making energy from 'nothing'. But like HM said, :bs:. It's a hoax until proven otherwise

In addition, they plan to "prove" themselves by demonstration to a "jury" that they select from among applicants. The applicant pool is self-selecting. Few serious scientists would want to waste time on something like this, so the applications will primarily come from two groups - the extremely credulous and fraudbusters. All Steorn has to do is end up with a primarily credulous "jury", which shouldn't be hard.

True, true. I suppose it is a curious way to apply a world-changing technology by... well, not actually applying it. Shame. Still, I wonder what they hope to get out of this? The amount of money they have to sink into publicising this must be considerable. Maybe they want a place on the speaking tour circuit?

They may want investors, after their "jury" "proves" their claim.

Or they may just be web developers...

Only slightly ahead of their Nigerian counterparts.

If it were true they would first get world wide patents, build & sell, then license the technology. There's no reason for a dog & pony show, it would sell itself. :cool:

Sounds like BlackLight Power, Inc. (Without the build and sell part.)

There is one problem - "free energy" machines are rejected by the patent office out of hand. It saves them hundreds of man-hours a year.

It almost has to be quackery of some kind.....but if it is, they put a LOT of work into it.

If someone invented an infinite free power source, the next war would be over who would control *that*.

Oh, and I should add that the technology would never see the light of day, because those who already control the energy would erase it.

Don't tell them what it'll do, just patent the technology, the method, and find out later that it makes free energy. Oh nevermind, it doesn't.:D