Energy: Something from Nothing - a Zero Point Primer

Energy: Something from Nothing - a Zero Point Primer

By Erik Anthony Archer

Planetary Connections, Fall 1996

The emerging paradigm of zero point energy (and it is a paradigm, since acknowledgement of its existence will necessarily require a reinterpretation of the nature of our world) is that the vacuum of space is not empty. Rather than a vacuum, space is more like a plenum - an absolute fullness of energetic potentiality that is somehow in a state of balance or equilibrium, such that this enormous potentiality is prevented from manifesting and thus appears as emptiness, void or vacuum. It is as if every point of empty space is a place where nearly infinite energies are converging from all directions simultaneously in such a way that all this energy cancels itself out and appears as emptiness or void.

If, however, at any point there is an imbalance or asymmetry in this omnidirectional canceling of energies, there appears a disturbance or a ripple that is commonly known as matter, the entire zoo of nuclear physics plus electrons and even photons are simply differing modes of asymmetry of the zero point field of the vacuum with itself.

The amount of potential energy contained within the fabric of space has been independently calculated by numerous physicists to be somewhere around the nearly inconceivably high figure of <10 to the 115th power> grams/cubic centimeter. This means that within a single cubic centimeter of vacuum there is an amount of energy potentially present but in a state of balance or self cancellation equivalent to the energy contained within 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 grams of matter <115 zeros after the 1>. This is a number that is greater than the estimated number of atoms in the visible universe.

It is a figure that exceeds the estimated amount of energy present in the known or visible universe which includes all the energy being liberated by tens to hundreds of billions of galaxies all ablaze with millions of stars. This amount of energy is literally inconceivable by the human imagination. With this amount of energy potentially present in every cubic centimeter of vacuum, it becomes utterly ludicrous to speak of an "energy shortage" as is so often done in today's political and economic spheres. The paradigm of the zero point energy potential of the vacuum of space literally disallows scarcity from being considered to be real, that is, if we can find a way to tap into this sea of energy potential and extract some of it to do work. This is the big issue at hand and the outcome of this issue has enormous ramifications for the future existence of the human species and for that of all life on Earth.

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Zero point physics is also in profound accord with the sacred world views of nearly all spiritual traditions. It shows that everything is inseparably one, that all that manifests is arising within the same unified ocean of being. There are no separations. All of humanity and in fact the entire universe is one coherent body arising mysteriously out of the infinite source that some call God or The Great Spirit. It demonstrates and scientifically validates the spiritual verity that we have boundless resourcefulness within ourselves, within the spirit that lives in us and all things, and we can learn to draw upon that infinite reservoir of strength, resourcefulness, and yes, Love.

The Zero point paradigm provides a scientifically sup-ported model of human potential as being literally infinite and totally open ended, something that great awakened beings have been telling us throughout the ages. This new paradigm helps us get a glimpse through the thoroughly scientific and rational approach to the staggering boundless creative potential and open-ended dynamics of the Universal Mind, of which we are all living creative expressions and with which we are all one.

Experiment Confirms Zero Point Energy

Patent Issued to Air Force Scientist

By Eugene Mallove

Physicist Steven K. Lamoreaux, now of Los Alamos National Laboratory, performed an exacting, elegant experiment (while at the University of Washington in Seattle), which confirms within 5% the theoretical formula for the Casimir force, which was proposed in 1948. This is the force that is said to be due to “virtual photons” popping in and out of existence in the vacuum of space. Specifically, it is the force that appears prominently when physical objects are in very close proximity. Then, the tiny region between two objects-such as two closely spaced flat plates-excludes the longer wavelength spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that pervades space. So there is an inward pressure that creates the Casimir force. (see R.L. Forward’s tutorial article on ZPE in IE #9 pp.53-64)

The Lamoreaux paper, “Demonstration of the Casimir Force in the 0.6 to 6 pm Range,” appeared in Physical Review Letters, 6 January 1997, Vol.78, No.1, pp. 5-8. The abstract is succinct: “The vacuum stress between closely spaced conducting surfaces, due to the modification of the zero-point fluctuations of the electro-magnetic field, has been conclusively demonstrated. The measurement employed an electromechanical system based on a torsion pendulum. Agreement with theory at the level of 5% is obtained.”

The actual experiment employed a spherical-shaped gold-coated plate in near-contact with a flat plate-facilitating precise electromechanical adjustments to measure the forces, which would have been more difficult with two flat plates. The Casimir force formula was verified down to a separation distance of 0.6 um.

The response to this experiment has been noteworthy. Writing in Nature, science writer Charles Seife began: “There is no such thing as a free lunch-except in quantum mechanics. Classical physics -- and common sense -- dictates that the vacuum is devoid not only of matter but of energy. But quantum mechanics often seems to depart from common sense.” It would have been nice had this comment led in the article into the potential technological implications of the experiment. But alas, no! Seife quoted University of Sussex physicist, Malcolm Boshier: “This is one of those experiments that is going to wind up in all of the textbooks.”

Malcolm W. Brown’s story in the New York Times (January 21. 1997, C.l, C.6), was titled. “Physicists Confirm the Power of Nothing, Measuring Force of Quantum ‘Foam”’ However. Mr. Brown, as usual, ignored the technological implications In favor of outlandish concepts having to do with theoretical cosmology. First off his pen was, "...something might cause the present day universal vacuum to collapse into a different vacuum of lower energy. The effect, propagating at the speed of light, would be the annihilation of all matter in the universe. There would be no warning for humankind: the earth and all its inhabitants would simply cease to exist at the instant the collapsing vacuum reached the planet.” Brown quoted cosmologist Dr. Michael Turner of Fermilab: ‘The energy of the vacuum remains one of the deep mysteries of science. We know from quantum mechanics that it is not empty. We have much to learn.” Indeed! Strangely, these cosmology-obsessed people (I confess, I used to be one of them!) do not even think of the implications for over-unity devices.

Note well the comment in the patent: “The Size of the structures are preferably miniaturized in order to produce greater amounts of energy from a system located within a space or area of a given size. In this regard, the smaller the size of the receiving structures, the greater the amount of energy that can be produced by the system of the present invention.”

Questions immediately arise. Could this be pointing the way to the use of nanostructures to extract ZPE? Is it possible that if this patent is sound, it points toward an explanation for the cause of cold fusion excess energy and a method for facilitating nuclear reactions? There are many things to ponder!