The Energy of Empty Space != Zero

Raindeer writes "Lawrence Krauss (well-known physicist and author of The Science of Star Trek) invited a group of 21 cosmologists, experimentalists, theorists, and particle physicists and cosmologists. Stephen Hawking came; three Nobel laureates, Gerard 'tHooft, David Gross, Frank Wilczek etc. He wrote about the conclusions of this session in Edge; in short: 'there appears to be energy of empty space that isn't zero! This flies in the face of all conventional wisdom in theoretical particle physics. It is the most profound shift in thinking, perhaps the most profound puzzle, in the latter half of the 20th century. And it may be the first half of the 21st century, or maybe go all the way to the 22nd century. Because, unfortunately, I happen to think we won't be able to rely on experiment to resolve this problem.'"

Empty Spaces

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry, after reading this headline, I have the following going through my head:

What shall we use
to fill the empty spaces
where we used to talk?
How shall I fill
The final places?
How can I complete the wall?

Most people

[Ramble]

Cool, now the space in most peoples head can be put to good use.

Re:Energy Explained

[Trouvist]

Are you certain that it won't be found that this energy was the chicken in the proverbial egg and the chicken dilemma?

This fact has been observed

[SomeoneGotMyNick]

For politicians, they have much empty space, yet have energy to be able to move around and such.

What a babe

[ma11achy]

I know, as a scientist I should be objective. But..

Lisa Randall is a babe!!

Ho hum, back to the numbers.

let's see here...

[smaerd]

"...21 cosmologists, experimentalists, theorists, and particle physicists and cosmologists"

Guys, it's early Monday morning here. When I see a fragment like that, my very-tired brain makes be go back and read it again until it makes sense. Then, because I'm not awake, I don't catch that the only thing wrong is that there are two "cosmologists" in there. Then I have to go back and read it again... then, because I'm not awake, I don't catch that there's two "cosmologists" in there and I have to go back and read it again...

You get the picture. I was going to make a point or say something a little more witty, but it's early Monday morning here.

Editor!

[elyons]

. . .invited a group of 21 cosmologists, experimentalists, theorists, and particle physicists and cosmologists.

Still, this doesn't explain why the editors always miss the obvious goofs when posting.

Well, duh.

[tygerstripes]

Where did they think all that suction comes from in a vacuum?

Pfft! Stupid scientists.

Re:Empty Spaces

[tgd]

Thats funny, after reading the article I thought:

Gee, there's good looking ladies in Physics.

But thats just because I read physics articles mostly for the pictures.

Thank You, Slashdot

[McPolu]

...in the face of all conventional wisdom in theoretical particle physics...

In which other web page do you think you will ever find a phrase like that? I really love Slashdot today. Talking about "conventional wisdom" in "theoretical particle physics".

Come One, Come All!

[Petersko]

I have built a machine in my back yard that harnesses this amazing, free source of energy. The government, however, wants to keep it under wraps, and the oil companies have a contract out on my head.

I can't show you how it works - that's a secret I want to keep until things cool off enough for me to patent it. But rest assured, it works. You can drop by and see the spinning plates attached to it. They've been spinning for eight months with no added power.

Yes, I did build it entirely on my own, using the vast knowledge I gleaned by sitting in on engineering classes two or three times a month.

at last!

[Anonymous Coward]

Somebody finally thought to ask both Cosmologists AND Cosmologists! This is where breakthroughs come from.

I wish I could...

[SIInudeity]

Wish I could throw a party, and Stephen Hawking rocks up. "Invitation, Hawkings will be there, and free beer"

Re:What a babe

[Darkman, Walkin Dude]

Lisa Randall is a babe!!

I do not think that word means what you think it means... [harvard.edu]

Re:What a babe

[jbeaupre]

He did qualify his statement by saying he's a scientist. Heck, I can remember in grad school realizing I hadn't SEEN a woman in 3 weeks. At which point XX chromosomes == babe.

Your Energy Bill . . .

[rogerborn]

FINAL NOTICE

THIS IS YOUR FINAL BILL FROM INTERGALATIC EDISON

PLEASE PAY

$100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.29

FOR THE VACUUM PACKAGED ENERGY WE PROVIDED FOR YOU OVER THE PAST 100,000 YEARS

FAILURE TO PAY THIS BILL MAY RESULT IN YOUR SUN BEING TURNED OFF FOR NON PAYMENT

REGARDS,
INTERGALACTIC EDISON
A BIG BANG COMPANY

Re:oops..

[gardyloo]

I got half way through the article and stopped. He isn't saying anything really at all.

      Count yourself lucky. He said it all over again in the second half. That makes this "news", like, 140 years old, instead of just 70.

Morons...

[dildo]

Scene: A scientist (Albert) and a zero-point-energy fan (Crackpot) are at the bottom of a very deep well.

Albert: Well, it may be cold and wet here, but at least we can't get any lower! I guess that is some sort of consolation.
Crackpot: What are you talking about? We're still filled with potential energy! If we could harvest the potential energy we could get from going a foot lower, we could use it to boost our way out of here!
Albert: Um... no.
Crackpot: What do you mean? Do you work for the oil companies or something?!
Albert: The amount of potential energy you have depends on where you define your lowest point. Typically we set the "zero" point to be the point where you can't fall any further. Since you can't obtain any energy by any means at that point, that means there is no potential energy left.
Crackpot: But what if we dig down another foot?
Albert: Do you have any idea how much energy that would require to do that?
Crackpot: Fine, we'll dig down 20 feet to extract more energy, and that will pay for the energy expense of digging.

Albert looks confused. He thinks he might be missing a subtle joke. He decides that he isn't deficient in humor -- his companion is deficient in brainpower. Albert unfurrows his brow and tries to talk some sense into his friend.

Albert: Ok. Let's consider two situations. We've got our situation right now -- we're at the bottom of a well with no way out -- and another situation. In the other situation an evil man is dangling two jet-packs on a fishing line right above our heads. The man will always pull the jet packs out of our reach whenever we try to grab them. The man will never get tired and he will never let us have the jet packs no matter what we do. No matter how long or hard we try, we won't get the jet packs. Question: is it easier to get out of the well in the first situation, or in the second situation?
Crackpot: What does this have to do with getting access to our latent potential energy?
Albert: (sighs)
Crackpot: I have a shovel and some rubber bands. You try to talk to the guy with the jet packs while I dig.

Albert drowns himself. Fin.

They used Pentium FDIV to compute it

[Anonymous Coward]

This must be old as they apparently relied on the Pentium FDIV to compute a non-zero result. Had they used the newer AMD processors, they would have had a much higher resolution of a non-zero result.

Re:This is old news,

[$RANDOMLUSER]

That's true, but now we call the "luminiferous aether" the "Higgs boson".

Re:Science Fluxion

[Doc Ruby]

What about an ape who can talk with humans (maybe sign language) about its personal environment. But who can't possibly understand the mutual gravitational attraction of matter, though they can shake an apple from a tree. Is gravity both "ape faith" and "human science"?

Re:Empty Spaces

[endrue]

Thousands of /. readers just read the article for the first time ever.

- Andrew

Re:let's see here...

[Anonymous Coward]

They didn't mean the second "cosmologists" in there -- it's actually supposed to be "cosmetologists".

Re:What a babe

[drinkypoo]

If brains make you hot, maybe you should check out this [heartandstroke.ca] picture.

Re:How do we use it?

[RMB2]

Ummm... I'm not sure where exactly you think the Sun is.....

Re:Empty Spaces

[ultranova]

Actually, those are not female physicists. Those are the paid hookers for the party.

A real scientist doesn't pay for a hooker. He'll build himself female androids / re-animated constructs / golems, depending on if he's living in high-tech future, victorian times or D&D fantasy realm.

Just why do you think mad scientists and wizards are grinning maniacally all the time ?-)

Re:This is a textbook example of Krauss

[brian0918]

"(b) you cannot seem to get any fact correct."

What, you think the desks were comfortable?