A team of US-based physicists has made groundbreaking experimental evidence suggesting electricity can be generated from the rotational energy of the Earth, challenging long-held assumptions about geophysical energy capture.
For decades, scientists have debated whether Earth’s vast rotational motion could be converted into usable power. However, conventional physics suggests that such voltage would self-cancel as electrons rearrange, making it unusable for current generation. Three researchers from Princeton University and Jet Propulsion Laboratory proposed a new approach by isolating the mechanism and eliminating variables that might obscure the subtle signal of this elusive energy.
Their custom-designed device used a cylinder of manganese-zinc ferrite, aligned along a north-south axis at a 57-degree angle, to detect potential differences. By observing a consistent voltage of 18 microvolts across the device, they attributed it to Earth’s rotation through its own magnetic field. The researchers ran extensive controls to rule out thermal gradients and other spurious signals, further strengthening their case.
While the generated voltage is currently too small for commercial use, this validation opens a new frontier in renewable energy. This approach would tap into a constant, planetary-scale phenomenon, making it theoretically one of the most stable energy sources imaginable. The path from lab-scale proof to real-world deployment is challenging, but potential applications in deep-space probes or off-grid scientific stations could be significant if refined.
The study’s implications are profound, suggesting that Earth’s rotation – or other celestial bodies’ rotation – could become a tool for exploration and energy production.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/03/tiny-device-generates-power-earths-spin