A team of physicists from Princeton University, CIT's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Spectral Sensor Solutions has tested a method to generate electricity using energy from Earth's rotation. Their study, published in Physical Review Research, suggests that a specially designed device interacting with Earth's magnetic field can harness rotational energy to produce electricity.
Researchers Christopher Chyba, Kevin Hand, and Thomas Chyba have explored this idea for nearly a decade. Their earlier 2016 paper proposed the possibility but faced skepticism due to theories suggesting that any generated voltage would be canceled out by electron rearrangement in the device.
In their latest experiment, the team built a device consisting of a manganese-zinc ferrite cylinder—a weak conductor that acts as a magnetic shield. Positioned at a 57° angle perpendicular to both Earth's rotation and its magnetic field, the cylinder was fitted with electrodes at both ends to measure voltage. The researchers conducted the experiment in darkness to eliminate photoelectric effects.
Their measurements revealed an 18-microvolt charge across the cylinder, with no alternative explanation for its source. The team ruled out temperature-induced voltage and found no measurable electricity when the cylinder's angle was changed or when control cylinders were used.
While further independent verification is needed, the scientists believe their findings suggest a potential new way to generate electricity. If the effect can be scaled up, it could open new avenues for harnessing Earth's natural energy sources.
Source: Phys
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