An Israeli scientist has proposed a way to build a quantum propulsion machine by pushing on the electromagnetic fields within a quantum vacuum, generating a force that, theoretically, could be harnessed. Sounds simple enough, right? But leaving the complex jargon of quantum mechanics aside, the implications are pretty amazing.
The mechanics are essentially this: according to quantum mechanics, vacuums are not simply voids, but contain, fleetingly, electromagnetic waves popping into, and out of, existence. These waves possess measurable force, but the new approach is less concerned with those forces and more concerned with the momentum associated with the electromagnetic fields. If we can manipulate that momentum, shouldn't we be able to create an opposite reaction force? (For a bit of background on this, see Wikipedia's useful articles here and here, or enroll in your nearest four-year university.)
That reaction force -- propulsion, to the rest of us -- is what's interesting here. Alex Feigel at the Soreq Nuclear Research Center in Yavne, Israel, suggests that by introducing magnetoelectric nanoparticles to interact with the electromagnetic fields inside a quantum vacuum, we should in theory be able to create mechanical energy -- a magnetoelectric quantum wheel, as he calls it -- harnessing the forces generated inside a quantum vacuum.
What's so significant about all this? For starters, unlike many other theories in quantum mechanics, this one is relatively easy to test. If that works out, it could open the door to new ways of researching and investigating the quantum world around us. In the future, quantum wheels could have practical applications, like correcting satellite orientation in space.Moreover, while the wheel is not rewriting the laws of physics -- that is, manipulating the particles will consume energy -- the propulsion occurs without any loss of mass. We don't want to jinx anything by bringing up deep space travel here, but the idea of propulsion that potentially wouldn't require large reservoirs of propellant is exciting, to say the least.

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Is it a coincidence or does that Israeli scientist read popsci but a couple stories back a poster was talking about what sounds like the same thing?
So the reason it doesn't violate conservation of energy (by using the energy in the quantum virtual sea) is because you use energy to manipulate the fields? And it kind of balances out? That is cool, now all we need is antigravity and my flying self propelled skateboard from back to the future will at last be mine.
The reason that it doesn't violate the conservation of energy is that you are still using energy to impart a force to a mass, just that in this case, the mass is something we have never used before. The vacuum energy already exists everywhere, so we don't have to carry mass around in, say, a spaceship, to spray out the back to generate an opposing force to propel the spaceship forward.
Same thing as before.
now if we can create a larger version of this machine and an artificial sun we can proppel earth through space with the fixing of the complications of gravity and atmosperic pressure of course
Vacuum energy. So that's how Syndrome did it.
As I understand it, the Casimir effect only kicks in at nanoscale, and would only generatate significant effects with a large amount of surface area between two plates. So how large a surface area is needed for this drive to approach the acceleration of existing chemical, ion, and nuclear propulsion systems? If it can do more than provide a nudge to a satellite, and provide a constant acceleration, then this could be a real game changer. Maybe not faster-than-light drive, but possibly something that could provide relatavistic speeds on long journeys, which would be almost as valuable as FTL drive for the crew. If these discoveries in physics continue at their present rate, I wouldn't be supprised at all if we develop the means for interstellar travel in this century.
@Mike_R
Developing the science required for interstellar travel is the easy part, getting someone to pay to have it built launched and flown is the thing that can't happen in 100 years. How do you expect NASA to build an interstellar cruiser and a ship with multigenerational closed life support systems with out funding, Congress wont even fund the Ares development properly.
@everyone
Read Aurthur C. Clarke's "The Light of Other Days." This book is a story of the invention of the wormhole, funded and constructed by a media company in the year 2035. The engine of this effect is a carbon-60, or "bucky ball", sphere within a sphere etc... that harnesses the zero-point/ vaccum energy to open a singularity at the quantum level. This device is call a "Casimir Engine"! Eventhough Einstein didn't consider some contemporary theories General Relativity DOES suggest this effect is VERY possible.
from neverland
We are used to think, electron is a infinity small dot, but we imagine it like some geometrical volume, magnetic fields are not physical entities, but we see them as nice curved cages, gravity is curved space time, but we feel it like presence of force. If we think about, what are objects in space and how they interact, theory is painting us a different picture from our experience of reality. Interesting thing is, how can momentum be conserved, if there is nothing to connect vibrating mass in space, where those vibrations are spreading.
Let me try a different picture. Imagine two objects in space, about to collide. They start so far apart, there is no connection between them. They both emit radiation, traveling at light speed and this is the first information they both should receive about each other before impact. Interesting thing is, light they emit is traveling in curved paths and it will always intersect right in the middle, independently of objects speed, creating weak symmetrical polarization in vacuum, with energy difference from two different potentials. Photons have some mass and vibration, so perhaps gravity is even faster. If so, gravity fields would exchange information first, bending space time around them, with potential difference between two differently attracting masses, but intersected in the middle of outside gravity center fields, because gravity must first find equilibrium with other gravity fields, before light can describe reality (negative space). In this way, particles would know, what is up and down, because path for force interaction would be established. But it would also mean, there is no static space and geometry, because gravity wouldn't have any determined position for us, since everything is in motion, therefore is already happened as our future. We see objects at rest, because all force interactions travel with fixed speed on previously established space, determined ahead by gravity interactions. Information is traveling with light speed, but this would be just an echo, how space was back in time, as a result of all EM interactions in that moment.
When we interact with objects, magnetic fields are compressed in a point of contact, where potential is transfered. In that moment, gravity fields are mirrored between objects, exchanging the vibration of space, how would their fields transform forces in molecules if they would be located in opposite fields, resulting in elastic collision properties on rebound. We're trying to direct force in available space as we observed it, but gravity has already changed reference frame slightly, so we can always observe some resistance, trying to figure out a way to predict, how to overcame next step. In other words, objects are sort of a equilibrium state dance between three point like centers of gravity, electric and magnetic fields, presented as 3D dimension. What we see as empty space is really nothing, it has no energy or volume, it cannot change shape or anything, since is just a result of deformation of geometry (r2), a natural property of mass and energy, on a way to close loops between potentials. From this point of view, we don't live in a multi dimensional space or something like that, every object is a separate equilibrium of those three centers and everything is just a reference point in physical reality of this one dimension.
raveling at light speed and this is the first information they both should receive about each other before impact. Interesting thing is, light they emit is traveling in curved paths
So when is someone going to say that this is what has been powering the ufo's for years???
Look All i want to know is... Will the dang thing fit my Naboo N-1 Starfighter. I have been tryin to find a quantum propulsion drive on a budget for that thing for years.
I'm so glad that the only purpose we could ever use this for is to push satellites in deep space. What about free energy devices to run my house?
There's no such thing as "free" energy... there's only converting energy to useful form on the cheap. But I wonder what the theoretical thrust from one of these things would be for a given energy input?
Very interesting article. That scientist must be brilliant. Is he african american?
your system is really nice and useful information there I wish to congratulate and thank you success
www.tonerarsivi.com
Don't you see what this means? The Jews are building Unstoppable Quantum Golems!
Someone is NOT going to say that this scheme has been powering lifters(UFO) to the un -initiated. Lifters use the phase change of mercury to a gaseous state to create the high frequency anti-gravity field.
Different factories do it different ways,but still the same basic science.
Fuel is from liquified (Iums),since they are a salt,an cid melts them for the lifter canisters that are engaged in the middle of a large copper coil,and the ships are 480 volt,by the way.
Old,old ships used glass "Cones" heated by carbide pellets and the high freqquency propagated out with a speaker like cone. When the glass cones broke,everyone on the ship died from the burst of mercury gas,so newer tech is the way to go,wouldnt ya think?
Muito bem
It is true that manipulating the particles will consume energy and the propulsion occurs without any loss of mass. You have really provided an informative data.
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Ok... but it sounds to me like they are trying to steal the thunder from tech already past experimental proof of concept phases. www.emdrive.com has some info on an advanced propulsion system recently purchased by the US from a UK development team.
This technology has been around for a very long time. Researched and played with by indi and F E D funded programs. There are plenty of youtube video's out there to prove it. Quantum propulsion pushes and pulls at the same time with out causing inertia on the machine itself or the people inside of it. Ever seen those tricky UFO's cut 90 degree angles and take off at the speed of sound so easily? This is what allows them to do it. You may have also seen them appear and disappear in an instant. Manipulation of the quantum aether allows them to pop in and out of dimensions or even manipulate the aether around the craft so it bends the light photons "around" the craft making the craft seem to disappear considering light is what allows us to see it. Tesla played with this technology and even the ancient Egyptians in different ways. Whoa! No he didn't just say ancient Egyptians! But yes I did. Do the research... Quantum propulsion may sound cool but it's child's play next to quantum warp travel, black hole travel "if quantum propulsion can protect us from inertia and crushing force, it can shoot us through a black hole. Similar to the movie the black hole". And quantum cubes. There are a whole slew of applications for this technology, their just being careful because so much potential power is contained within the quantum field. Experiment wisely my friends...