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Comment Re:Why the controversy? (Score 2) 518

You're confused, an ion engine is a type of rocket. The problem with this type of drive is too much thrust is claimed for the amount of energy expended. You really can propel something with photons, whether microwave or light, since photons have momentum. But it's to the tune of a newton per 300 megawatts; in other words a fiendish amount of power to get a very small amount of thrust. Our universe is perverse like that.

This "physicist" Tajmar has made all kinds of absurd unreproducible claims and experiments of making gravity wave effects with superconductors and similar. In short, a self-deluded person trying to be the next Einstein when really he's more snake-oil purveyor.

Comment ah, Tajmar eh? (Score 4, Informative) 518

Tajmar made a lot of hoopla over ten years ago about making gravitomagnetic waves orders of magnitude more powerful than GR predicted; some were claiming we were on our way to artificial gravity or a warp drive by his bold claims. Of course, his experiments could never be duplicated. Since then, he's been trying to make waves (ha!) with other dubious claims of making gravity effects by electromagnetic means and such.

Take anything he claims "confirmed" with a one hundred pound bag pinch of salt.

Comment And in further news (Score 1) 157

the UK government has mandated that drivers of horseless carriages must mimic the acts of a horseback rider so as not to confuse equestrians, with a person in the boot to fling a piece of horse dung every half mile. The exhaust system shall be tuned to produce an appropriate clopping sound, and the horn shall whinny.

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