this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2025
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On this planet, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!
Edit: reference spoiler
In this house, we obey the laws of thermodynamics!Could still be obeying them. Maybe it's taking energy from something that we otherwise wouldn't notice or be able to get energy from
You and I must have different concepts of "unlimited".
Energy isn't always conserved. Energy isn't meaningfully conserved in an expanding spacetime. And the mass-energy of the universe had to come from somewhere. It's entirely possible that whatever process created the mass-energy of the universe could someday be discovered and duplicated on a smaller scale. Truly unlimited energy sources may be possible. Or perhaps, an energy source whose only practical limitation is the amount of waste heat you can dissipate.
And while I would be extremely skeptical of any human who claimed to have invented such a machine today, we have to consider the timelines. If an alien species comes to visit you, they are likely far older than your species. And not just a few decades or a few centuries ahead. If we were visited by aliens, odds are that they were a technological species millions of years before we even mastered basic spoken language. We cannot know what we cannot know. And aliens visiting us have had eons to plumb the depths of reality to try to locate a free energy hack.
If the universe was infenitely large then it'd be possible no? At a limited rate obviously
If you're going through the trouble of inventing a different universe, why not just invent one with an infinite energy source, rather than going about it roundabout?
Also, I don't imagine that people really imagine "limited rate" when talking about "unlimited energy". With that definition, I could sell you unlimited energy today for the low price of one hundred billion dollars. The rate is limited to 1 Joule per decade, but it will eventually pay off big during the heat death of the universe.
Unlimited, being as long as you can’t see the bottom of the well?
ZPMs!
Also, free unlimited energy would be useless without free excess heat disposal.
You just hook it up to a perfect efficiency engine.
You're right. There would definitely be a problem of heat disposal. For people who are confused by this concept, I suggest you watch this video about entropy.
xD