Magnetricity: The Next Form of Energy?
May 26th, 2011 | 2 Comments »Could “magnetricity” be the next new form of energy? Two recent discoveries point to the possibility. One is a very recent discovery made by a team of University of Michigan scientists led by Stephen Rand: “…when light is traveling through a material that does not conduct electricity, the light field can generate magnetic effects that are 100 million times stronger than [previously] thought possible….” The other discovery, made in 2009 by scientists at the London Centre for Nanotechnology is that, “…atom-sized ‘magnetic charges’ …behave and interact just like more familiar electric charges…dubbed ‘magnetricity’….”
Energy is the keynote of our current Dwapara age. Since Dwapara Yuga’s transition began in 1700AD, man has been making discovery after discovery regarding energy. In the 1800s the laws o electromagnetism were worked out which led to the worldwide use of electricity as a form of power. With the major exception of transportation, and even that is beginning to change toward electric vehicles, all of our world’s infrastructure is based on electricity.
Electricity is the current energy king.
Several other forms of power have been discovered and developed, but for the most part they have all been put to use to generate electricity. Nuclear energy was discovered at the beginning of the 1900s and was developed in the 1940s and 50s. Ironically, this new and potent form of energy is used to generate heat, one of the oldest uses of energy. The heat generated by controlled nuclear fission is used, basically, to boil water. The resulting steam is used to spin turbines to generate electricity. Turbine generated electricity has been around since the late 1800s. The only difference between nuclear power plants, and the much older technology of coal, oil, or natural gas power plants, is the source of energy used to create steam.
Photovoltaic cells (solar cells) and hydrogen fuel cells are among the first technologies that convert an energy source (the sun’s rays, hydrogen gas) directly into electricity – without first having to convert the energy source to heat. Converting energy to heat is generally a highly-polluting, energy-inefficient, and often perilous process. Discoveries like magnetricity indicate that our world’s current global warming crisis may be solved not only by reducing our use of fossil fuels, through solar or wind energy, but also by reducing our dependence on electricity itself.
Will magnetricity be able to supplant electricity the current energy king?
The ubiquitous use of electricity in our modern society is hardly going to go away overnight, but magnetricity, or perhaps another new form of energy, may one day supplant it or soon at least complement it. Magnetricity may turn out to be easier or less costly to generate. Perhaps the earth’s magnetic field can be tapped into. Perhaps the 100 million times greater than previously known magnetic effect of light passing through a non-conducting material will allow us to harness solar power far more efficiently than photovoltaics currently do. Perhaps certain uses, such as generating heat for homes, or powering automobiles will prove to be more efficient using magnetricity.
In any event, the unfolding of Dwapara Yuga is sure to bring more discoveries about energy – and more uses for energy as well. We are only at the beginning of the energy age.
For more on magnetricity: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0910/09101505
For more about the magnetic field generated by light passing through a non-conducting material: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/29/optical-battery-discovery-solar_n_855499.html
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