Zero Point Energy

In a quantum mechanical system such as the particle in a box or the quantum harmonic oscillator, the lowest possible energy is called the zero-point energy. According to classical physics, the kinetic energy of a particle in a box or the kinetic energy of the harmonic oscillator may be zero if the velocity is zero. Quantum mechanics with its uncertainty principle implies that if the velocity is measured with certainty to be exactly zero, the uncertainty of the position must be infinite. This either violates the condition that the particle remain in the box, or it brings a new potential energy in the case of the harmonic oscillator. To avoid this paradox, quantum mechanics dictates that the minimal velocity is never equal to zero, and hence the minimal energy is never equal to zero.

Does electromagnetic zero-point energy exist, and if so, are there any practical applications and does it have any connection with dark energy? The theoretical basis for electromagnetic zero-point energy is clear.

"Even in its ground state, a quantum system possesses fluctuations and an associated zero-point energy, since otherwise the uncertainty principle would be violated. In particular the vacuum state of a quantum field has these properties. For example, the electric and magnetic fields in the electromagnetic vacuum are fluctuating quantities." -Dennis William Sciama

The Casimir Effect is an example of a one-loop effect in quantum electrodynamics that can be simply explained by the zero-point energy. It is precisely localizable differences in the zero-point energy that may prove to be of some practical use and that may be the basis of dark energy phenomena. Moreover it has also been found that asymmetries in the zero-point field that appear upon acceleration may be associated with certain properties of inertia, gravitation and the principle of equivalence Haisch, Rueda and Puthoff (1994); Rueda and Haisch (1998); Rueda and Haisch (2005) [source]

In quantum field theory the Casimir effect and the Casimir-Polder force are physical forces arising from a quantized field.  The typical example is of two uncharged metallic plates in a vacuum, placed a few micrometers apart, without any external electromagnetic field. In a classical description, the lack of an external field also means that there is no field between the plates, and no force would be measured between them. When this field is instead studied using quantum electrodynamics, it is seen that the plates do affect the virtual photons which constitute the field, and generate a net force—either an attraction or a repulsion depending on the specific arrangement of the two plates. Although the Casimir effect can be expressed in terms of virtual particles interacting with the objects, it is best described and more easily calculated in terms of the zero-point energy of a quantized field in the intervening space between the objects. This force has been measured, and is a striking example of an effect purely due to second quantization.

However, the treatment of boundary conditions in these calculations has led to some controversy. In fact "Casimir's original goal was to compute the van der Waals force between polarizable molecules" of the metallic plates. Thus it can be interpreted without any reference to the zero-point energy (vacuum energy) or virtual particles of quantum fields.

Dutch physicists Hendrik B. G. Casimir proposed the existence of the force and formulated an experiment to detect it in 1948 while participating in research at Philips Research Labs.

The classic form of the experiment, described above, successfully demonstrated the force to within 15% of the value predicted by the theory. In modern theoretical physics , the Casimir effect plays an important role. [source]

Properties
Lastly, insights may be offered on certain quantum properties (Compton wavelength, de Broglie wavelength, spin) and on mass-energy equivalence (E=mc2) if it proves to be the case that zero-point fluctuations interact with matter in a phenomenon identified by Erwin Schrödinger known as zitterbewegung .

As intriguing as these latter possibilities are, the first order of business is to unambiguously detect and measure zero-point energy. While a Casimir experiment such as that of Forward (1984) can in principle measure energy that may be attributed to the existence of real zero-point energy, there are alternative explanations involving source-source quantum interactions in place of real zero-point energy (see Milonni 1994). To move beyond this ambiguity of interpretation experiments that will test for the reality of measurable zero-point energy will need to be devised.

Cultural References

In the Justice League Episode, 'Hereafter', Vandal Savage had taken over the world and invented a Zero Point Generator in the boredom of immortality which was used to power a time machine to transport Superman back to the present.

In the movie 'The Incredibles', the villain Syndrome uses a ray that can immobilize an opponent, suspending him in mid-air.

"In searching for a name for the device I came across and used a reference to "zero-point energy", which Syndrome himself uses to describe his weapon." -Director Brad Bird, speaking in a DVD commentary

In the computer game Half-Life 2, one of the weapons used by the player is the "Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator", better known by its nickname the "Gravity Gun". It allows the user to pick up and launch any medium-sized objects, and was used to market the game's detailed physics engine.

The television show Stargate SG-1 and the spinoff, Stargate Atlantis also makes references to zero-point energy in the form of Zero Point Modules or ZPMs. These ZPMs extract energy from small artificially-created subspaces are used to power the technology of the Ancients, such as the energy shield which protects the city of Atlantis and powering the Stargate with sufficient power to allow travel to the Pegasus Galaxy.

The Ancients also attempted to extract zero-point energy directly from their own universe in Project Arcturus.

The first ZPM is found by Jack O'Neill in the SG-1 season 7 finale "Lost City" at an abandoned outpost, and used to power Ancient weaponry left behind on Earth to repel Anubis' attack on Earth. The same ZPM allows Stargate Command to open a wormhole to Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy.  Another is found on Earth in an alternate timeline and allows Earth to send supplies and reinforcements to Atlantis. The finding and recapturing of ZPMs is a recurring theme on Stargate Atlantis, being a necessary asset to protect the city from attacks and invasion, to power the city (e.g., for space travel) and to accelerate Earth ships in-between galaxies.

In Marvel Comic's "Ultimate Secret" issue one, the disguised Captain Mahr-vell has helped humans develop a star drive based on ZPE. He offhandedly remarks that quantum wave fluctuations were discovered to cause inertia, which is the SED Hypothesis .

In the second season of the television series 'Alias', Sydney Bristow is tasked to retrieve a music box that supposedly contains a formula for zero-point energy.

In  the book, '3001: The Final Odyssey,' by Arthur C. Clarke humanity is tapping zero point energy (or vacuum energy as it's called in the book). Human astronomers observed an explosion of a far-away star, and on further investigation found that the detonation started at one of the planets which destabilized the star itself. This event gives the characters nightmares, as it was assumed that some alien race was using zero-point energy and lost control. [source] 

The book begins with a brief prologue describing the aliens who created the Monoliths. They apparently evolved from "warm slime", and over the course of millions of years, turned into a space faring species. As they explored the galaxy, they saw that few intelligent species ever successfully evolved. Therefore, they traveled the universe and catalyzed the evolution of intelligent species wherever they went, including Earth, by increasing the evolving species' odds of survival. Upon reaching Earth, they performed experiments on many species to encourage the development of intelligence. Then they left, leaving the monoliths behind. After visiting Earth, the aliens continued to evolve, to the point where they eventually found a way to integrate themselves into the fabric of space, and became non-corporeal beings. Meanwhile, back in the Solar system, the Monoliths continued to watch over humanity. However, the Monoliths were capable of degenerating and acting independently of their original programming.

ZPE is also a potential energy source of interest to independent researchers outside of mainstream research entities, such as the late Eugene Mallove, and figures into discussions on radio programs such as Coast to Coast AM.

Mallove authored Fire from Ice, a book detailing the 1989 report of table-top cold fusion from Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann at the University of Utah. Among other things, the book claims the team did produce "greater-than-unity" output energy in an experiment successfully replicated on several occasions, but that the results were suppressed through an organized campaign of ridicule from mainstream physicists, including those studying controlled thermonuclear fusion, trying to protect their research and funding.

Dr. Eugene Mallove, the tireless spokesperson for integrity and honesty in cold fusion research, whose persistent efforts finally persuaded the U.S. Department of Energy to give the phenomenon a second look after 15 years of denial and stonewalling, was killed in Norwich, CT on 14 May 2004. [source]

Awakening to Zero Point

"Planet Earth is going through a Collective Initiation as frequency increases and Earth's magnetic field is slowing down. Earth's magnetic field will stop at 13 cycles per second, zero point magnetic field. By 2012 we reach 13 cycles per second. 13 = zero point. Initiates in ancient civilizations were placed in chambers to bring them to a place of Zero Point Magnetics wherein they could experience and prepare for what the world will go through around 2012." -The Collective Initiation by Greg Braden

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