So, do they still laugh at harnessing infinite "zero point energy" then ???
Probably so.
That raises a question in my unschooled head, though, which is this:
Imagine a starship using the quantum vacuum stuff above for propulsion.
Would it be "depleting" or "using up" some resource in space, where you might end up with vast areas of "depleted" space? A "dead zone" where all the vacuum energy is used up, or where some basic function of space/time fails?
Or would each cubic meter of space hold a finite amount of energy that could be used for propulsion?
I'm guessing, no (at least to the first), because the whole thing about "vacuum energy" is that it just occurs naturally, it's quantum stuff creating and uncreating spontaneously?
(stop me when I utter error and correct my physics foolishness!)
But if it cannot be used up, then it must be infinite. If it's infinite, then that's too much energy to fit in any sort of finite Universe (such as ours, which having a fixed age must be finite)
Do we know where the energy or the fields that appear and wink out ... come FROM?
If not, what if we build a stardrive that sucks the 'life" out of quantum vacuum ... but suddenly we realize it's sucking the lifeforces out of sources that are random, not associated with our notions of spacetime? we turn the device on HERE and it drains the cosmic stuff out of THERE instead? And "THERE" becomes a swathe of destruction sweeping across New york city?
Orson Scott card raises that dilemma, I think, in ENDERS series: One terrible day, humanity realizes every time a starship jumps into hyperspace, it destroys somebody's sun?
So ... dare we tap into an energy source we don't yet understand whether it alone holds the Universe together at the seams?
Or do we strap on the suicide bombs and take out the Scary Sci-Fi Machine ... like the zealot in the movie CONTACT ???
But, okay, returning the rant to an actual Science Fact question:
* In what way might using this as a propulsion system actually deplete or damage areas of space/time?
* Is anything being depleted out of space?
* Are energy fields being deformed and destroyed?
* Would the fabric of spacetime be ... screwed with?