Sounds Legit

[Anaxagoras]

A New Idea to Harness Energy From Black Holes

The study, titled “Magnetic reconnection as a mechanism for energy extraction from rotating black holes,” was conducted by Luca Comisso and Felipe A. Asenjo. In it, they propose a new method whereby energy could be harnessed from a black hole by breaking and rejoining magnetic field lines near its event horizon, the boundary within which nothing can escape a black hole’s gravitational pull (even light).

“We calculated that the process of plasma energization can reach an efficiency of 150 percent, much higher than any power plant operating on Earth. Achieving an efficiency greater than 100 percent is possible because black holes leak energy, which is given away for free to the plasma escaping from the black hole.”

While it might sound like science fiction, it is entirely possible that future generations will look to black holes to meet their energy needs. What’s more, argues Comisso and Asenjo, the process of energy extraction might already be taking place with a number of black holes in the observable Universe. This may be the reason for black hole flares, which are powerful bursts of radiation that can be detected from Earth.

It is entirely possible that future generations will look to black holes to meet their energy needs. Yeah.

Not really sure what they mean by "150 percent efficiency" either, but whatever. If you can somehow get anywhere near a black hole there should be lots of energy there to harness. But I imagine you'd have to be going really fast, wouldn't you, or you'd just fall into it. And that means time dilation.

[Doctor X]

Since the nearest black hole is about 1120 light years away. . . .

– J.D.

[ed]

I'd invest.

[ceptimus]

There are almost certainly closer black holes that we've not detected yet. The small ones are pretty hard to see, after all.

But I think commercial exploitation of them could be quite some time off.

[Doctor X]

Your Mom does not count!

– J.D.