This is extremely strange. Shouldn't this be impossible by the second law of thermodynamics?
Receiving more energy when a resistor in thermal equilibrium is connected to an antenna seemingly implies that energy gets transferred from an antenna with a resistor to a an antenna without a resistor, even at thermal equilibrium.
Maybe we'll later find it's an experimental subtlety, like the faster than light neutrinos.
But it should. If you can get energy to flow one way between things at the same physical temperature that seems to violate thermodynamics and allow for perpetual motion.
mitxela · · focus · HN ↗
Receiving more energy when a resistor in thermal equilibrium is connected to an antenna seemingly implies that energy gets transferred from an antenna with a resistor to a an antenna without a resistor, even at thermal equilibrium.
Maybe we'll later find it's an experimental subtlety, like the faster than light neutrinos.
dist-epoch · · focus · HN ↗
Basically they are misleading when they say "thermal equilibrium", same physical temperature does not imply thermal equilibrium.
mitxela · · focus · HN ↗
sametemptjjr · · focus · HN ↗
what's described in this paper is not passive, it has a powered amplifier in there which lowers the "noise temperature"
same way a heat pump can move heat between things at the same temperature - inside and outside of house when you start it