Colloquia

Mankind has had a long obsession with the quest for limitless or virtually limitless sources of energy. This quest did not stop with the advent of modern physics, but much of it moved out of the realm of science and into the realm of pseudo-science. Today, "free energy" is a thriving, multi-million dollar business. It involves a colorful cast of characters that range from the sincerely self-deluded to outright charlatans. The fact their claims are given greeted with such credulity by both the public and the news media has profound implications about the general state of scientific understanding in our society.