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Why Apple’s New iPhone Duo Costs More Than A Base MacBook Air

11 September 2026 at 05:50

Apple recently launched its first foldable phone, and the high price is raising eyebrows. At $1,999, the new iPhone Duo carries a price tag that easily beats out a brand-new MacBook Air. Buyers are naturally asking how a phone that fits in a pocket can cost twice as much as a laptop. The answer comes […]

The post Why Apple’s New iPhone Duo Costs More Than A Base MacBook Air appeared first on The Mac Observer.

Which iPhone Should You Buy in 2026? One Decision Table for All Seven Apple Sells

11 September 2026 at 05:12

Apple sells seven iPhones this week, from the $699 iPhone 17e to the $1,999 iPhone Duo, and only two of them carry a dedicated telephoto lens. That makes the decision simpler than the size of the lineup suggests: the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,199 is the cheapest iPhone Apple sells with a real zoom lens, […]

The post Which iPhone Should You Buy in 2026? One Decision Table for All Seven Apple Sells appeared first on The Mac Observer.

Apple lança série de vídeos no TikTok promovendo o iPhone Duo

10 September 2026 at 19:19

O iPhone Duo foi apresentado ao mundo há apenas um dia, mas sua divulgação segue de vento em popa. Em uma série de vídeos publicados pela Apple em seu perfil no TikTok, a empresa destaca diversos aspectos do seu primeiro smartphone dobrável, além de também fazer algumas brincadeiras.

No vídeo abaixo, por exemplo, o iPhone Air e o iPad mini estão “sentados” em uma mesma mesa, com a legenda indicando que esse seria o “making of” do iPhone Duo — uma vez que, quando aberto, ele é ainda mais fino do que o Air e possui uma tela com quase o tamanho do display do iPad mini (7,6 contra 8,3 polegadas).

Em outro vídeo, a empresa mostra as diferentes formas de uso do iPhone Duo, que pode ficar semiaberto (inclusive funcionando como um suporte), associando essas possibilidades às poses de meditação.

Na mesma pegada do vídeo acima, a publicação abaixo mostra que é possível apoiar o iPhone Duo e rolar de forma mais agradável por um aplicativo — no caso deste vídeo, o app Fotos (Photos).

Já o vídeo abaixo mostra o contraste de um MacBook Pro e do iPhone Duo, que estão dispostos em uma mesma bancada e na mesma “posição” — de modo que, quando semiaberto, a parte inferior da tela do dobrável funciona como teclado, como no próprio MacBook (porém em um tamanho bastante reduzido, é claro).

Outro vídeo destaca as capacidades de multitarefa do iPhone Duo, que roda uma versão adaptada do iOS para aproveitar as possibilidades da tela dobrável. No vídeo, é possível ver o Apple Music rodando ao lado do app Fotos.

Até mesmo o som ao fechar o dispositivo virou alvo de marketing pela Apple — que, no vídeo abaixo, mostra um usuário tirando uma foto com o aparelho e, em seguida, fechando-o rapidamente, causando um eco no ambiente.

A Apple certamente divulgará mais vídeos ao longo das próximas horas e nos próximos dias — e nós continuaremos de olho!

Le culot, nouvel ingrédient secret de la tech française à découvrir sur l’événement Big 2026

10 September 2026 at 17:00
Le 8 octobre prochain, l’Accor Arena à Paris va redevenir, le temps d’une journée, le centre de gravité de l’entrepreneuriat français à l’occasion de Big 2026, organisé par Bpifrance. Le thème de cette 12e édition : le culot. Le culot d’entreprendre, d’investir, de voir plus grand. Mais aussi le...

Les Beatles, artistes favoris des scientifiques

10 September 2026 at 13:32
Les articles scientifiques regorgent de références culturelles. L'une des plus répandues concerne les Beatles dont les titres des chansons sont souvent cités par les chercheurs dans leurs articles. Mais personne n'avait quantifié jusqu'à présent la contribution des quatre de Liverpool. Une équipe hollandaise s'est attelée à la tâche.

Apple aumenta preços de iPhones (novos e antigos) no Brasil e nos EUA

9 September 2026 at 20:42

É, meus amigos… A crise causada pelo aumento dos custos de chips de memória e armazenamento atingiu o produto mais consolidado da Apple, o iPhone.

A empresa atualizou, há pouco, a Apple Store Online com os novos valores praticados para os smartphones que já estavam em linha antes da chegada dos iPhones 18 Pro/18 Pro Max e Duo. E sim, nem o 17e escapou!

Como já era de se esperar, esses aumentos se refletiram em vários outros países onde a Apple atua, como o Brasil.

Confira as tabelas com os preços antigos e os novos! 🤑

Nos EUA

iPhone 16 e 16 Plus

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
16 de 128GBUS$700US$800+14,3%
16 Plus de 128GBUS$800——
16 Plus de 256GBUS$900——

Como podemos observar, apenas uma configuração do iPhone 16 está disponível. O 16 Plus foi descontinuado.

iPhone 17e

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
256GBUS$600US$700+16,7%
512GBUS$800US$900+12,5%

iPhone 17

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
256GBUS$800US$900+12,5%
512GBUS$1.000US$1.100+10%

iPhone Air

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
256GBUS$1.000US$1.100+10%
512GBUS$1.200US$1.300+8,3%
1TBUS$1.400US$1.700+21,4%

iPhones 17 Pro/17 Pro Max vs. iPhones 18 Pro/18 Pro Max

ModeloPreçoModeloPreço Variação
17 Pro de 256GBUS$1.10018 Pro de 256GBUS$1.200 +9%
17 Pro de 512GBUS$1.30018 Pro de 512GBUS$1.400+7,6%
17 Pro de 1TBUS$1.500 18 Pro de 1TBUS$1.800 +20%
——18 Pro de 2TBUS$2.400 —
17 Pro Max de 256GBUS$1.20018 Pro Max de 256GBUS$1.300+8,3%
17 Pro Max de 512GBUS$1.40018 Pro Max de 512GBUS$1.500+7,1%
17 Pro Max de 1TBUS$1.60018 Pro Max de 1TBUS$1.900+18,8%
17 Pro Max de 2TBUS$2.00018 Pro Max de 2TBUS$2.500+25%

Apple Watches

Curiosamente, a Apple mexeu apenas nas versões com as caixas maiores do Apple Watch Series 12 — ou seja, os modelos de 42mm seguem os mesmos preços. O SE 3 e o Ultra 4 seguem intactos.

ModeloPreçoModeloPreçoVariação
Series 11 (GPS, alumínio de 46mm)US$430Series 12 (alumínio de 46mm)US$450+4,6%
Series 11 (GPS + Cellular, alumínio de 46mm)US$530Series 12 (GPS + Cellular, alumínio de 46mm)US$550+3,8%

No Brasil

iPhone 16 e 16 Plus

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
16 de 128GBR$6.800R$7.000+2,9%
16 Plus de 128GBR$8.500——
16 Plus de 256GBR$9.300——

iPhone 17e

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
256GBR$5.800R$6.000+3,4%
512GBR$7.300R$7.500+2,7%

iPhone 17

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
256GBR$8.000R$8.300+3,7%
512GBR$9.500R$9.800+3,1%

iPhone Air

ModeloPreço anteriorPreço novoVariação
256GBR$10.500R$11.000+4,7%
512GBR$12.000R$12.500+4,1%
1TBR$13.500R$15.500+14,8%

iPhones 17 Pro/17 Pro Max vs. iPhones 18 Pro/18 Pro Max

ModeloPreçoModeloPreçoVariação
17 Pro de 256GBR$11.50018 Pro de 256GBR$12.000 +4,3%
17 Pro de 512GBR$13.00018 Pro de 512GBR$13.500+3,8%
17 Pro de 1TBR$14.500 18 Pro de 1TBR$16.500+13,7%
——18 Pro de 2TBR$21.000—
17 Pro Max de 256GBR$12.50018 Pro Max de 256GBR$13.000+4%
17 Pro Max de 512GBR$14.000 18 Pro Max de 512GBR$14.500+3,5%
17 Pro Max de 1TBR$15.50018 Pro Max de 1TBR$17.500+12,9%
17 Pro Max de 2TBR$18.500 18 Pro Max de 2TBR$22.000 +18,9%

Apple Watches

ModeloPreçoModeloPreçoVariação
Series 11 (GPS, alumínio de 46mm)R$5.899Series 12 (GPS, alumínio de 46mm)R$6.099+3,4%
Series 11 (GPS + Cellular, alumínio de 46mm)R$6.799Series 12 (GPS + Cellular, alumínio de 46mm)R$7.399+8,8%

Não está nada fácil, infelizmente… 😭

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Cores: prateado, laranja-cósmico ou azul-intenso
Armazenamento: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB ou 2TB
R$ 10.599,00
R$ 12.499,00

iPhone 17 Pro

Cores: prateado, laranja-cósmico ou azul-intenso
Armazenamento: 256GB, 512GB ou 1TB
R$ 9.999,00
R$ 11.499,00

iPhone Air

Cores: azul-céu, dourado-claro, branco-nuvem ou preto espacial
Armazenamento: 256GB, 512GB ou 1TB
R$ 7.999,00
R$ 10.499,00

iPhone 17

Cores: lavanda, sálvia, azul-névoa, branco ou preto
Armazenamento: 256GB, 512GB ou 1TB
R$ 6.332,22

iPhone 17e

Cores: branco, preto ou rosa-pálido
Armazenamento: 256GB ou 512GB
R$ 4.776,67
R$ 5.799,00

iPhone 16 Plus

Cores: ultramarino, branco, preto, rosa ou verde acinzentado
Armazenamento: 128GB, 256GB ou 512GB
R$ 6.665,56
R$ 8.499,00

iPhone 16

Cores: ultramarino, branco, preto, rosa ou verde acinzentado
Armazenamento: 128GB, 256GB ou 512GB
R$ 5.110,00
R$ 6.799,00

Apple Watch Series 11

Material: alumínio ou titânio
Cores: cinza-espacial, prateado, ouro rosa, preto brilhante, natural, dourado ou ardósia
Tamanho: 42mm ou 46mm
Conectividade: GPS ou GPS + Cellular
Pulseiras: esportiva ou estilo milanês
R$ 4.222,21
R$ 5.499,00

NOTA DE TRANSPARÊNCIA: O MacMagazine recebe uma pequena comissão sobre vendas concluídas por meio de links deste post, mas você, como consumidor, não paga nada mais pelos produtos/serviços usando os nossos links de afiliado.

The best hair dryers for smooth, speedy styling at home – whatever your hair type

4 September 2026 at 10:00

Want every day to be a good hair day? We tested 22 hair dryers to find the best, from gentle diffusers to high-speed and travel-ready models

• The best hot brushes, tried and tested by our expert

In my years of reviewing beauty tech, it was upgrading my hair dryer that made the biggest difference to my routine. I used to dread hair-wash days: the chore of shampooing, conditioning and rinsing my hair, plus the time – and aching arms – spent getting it dry again.

My clunky, bargain-bucket hair dryer of seven years was weighty, deafeningly loud, and took a painstaking 20 minutes to dry my hair. So happier days really did arrive when I switched to a new model.

Continue reading...

© Composite: PR Image

© Composite: PR Image

© Composite: PR Image

Como transmitir um vídeo do TikTok por AirPlay

9 September 2026 at 12:00

O AirPlay é a maneira mais fácil de transmitir conteúdos de um iPhone, iPad ou Mac para smart TVs compatíveis ou Apple TVs — sejam eles vídeos ou músicas.

Indo mais além dos aplicativos nativos da Apple que permitem isso, há os apps de terceiros que também podem suportar a tecnologia. Um deles é o TikTok, rede social de vídeos curtos. A partir de qualquer post, basta alguns toques para transmitir os conteúdos da rede no aparelho compatível.

Veja como! 📺

Antes de mais nada, certifique-se de que o TikTok possui acesso à rede local. Para isso, abra os Ajustes (Settings), toque em “Apps” e em “TikTok”. Depois, marque a chave ao lado de “Rede Local”.

Abra então o TikTok e localize a postagem que deseja enviar. Mantenha o dedo pressionado por alguns segundos em cima dela, role pela lista e toque em “Transmitir”.

Por fim, basta selecionar o dispositivo desejado.

Apple “vaza” 37 identificadores de dispositivos na véspera do seu evento

9 September 2026 at 01:03

A Apple parece estar preparando seus sistemas para a nova leva de produtos que será lançada em breve. A menos de 24 horas do evento “Surprise and shine” (“Surpreendente e brilhante”), a empresa adicionou nada menos que 37 novos identificadores de hardware ao seu backend, abrangendo iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches e outros dispositivos.

A descoberta foi feita por Aaron Perris. No X, ele compartilhou todos os identificadores, sendo sete deles relacionados a iPhones.

A bunch of upcoming Apple device identifiers have been found on Apple’s backend. Interestingly, there are 7 iPhone models listed. We only know of 6.

iPhone19,1
iPhone19,2
iPhone19,3
iPhone19,4
iPhone19,5
iPhone19,6
iPhone19,7

Mac17,10
Mac17,11
Mac17,12
Mac17,13
Mac18,1
Mac18,2…

— Aaron (@aaronp613) September 8, 2026

O número chama atenção pois, até o momento, os rumores dão conta de seis modelos compondo a futura linha: “iPhone 18 Pro”, “iPhone 18 Pro Max” e “iPhone Ultra”, além dos “iPhone 18”, “iPhone Air 2” e “iPhone 18e” — os três últimos, segundo as notícias, só serão lançados no ano que vem.

Isso, porém, não significa necessariamente que a Apple esteja preparando um sétimo iPhone do qual nunca ouvimos falar. O identificador pode muito bem ser simplesmente uma variante de um dos modelos já esperados — como, por exemplo, uma configuração específica do “iPhone Ultra” destinada à China.

Além dos iPhones, a lista inclui nove identificadores de Macs, oito de iPads, nove de Apple Watches, um de Apple TV e três associados à categoria “HomeAccessory”, utilizada internamente pela Apple para produtos domésticos.

Lembrando que, no evento de amanhã, a Apple muito provavelmente lançará produtos como o “Apple Watch Series 12”, o “Apple Watch Ultra 4”, uma nova geração da Apple TV e, quem sabe, o aguardado hub inteligente para a casa — além dos iPhones, é claro. Novos Macs (como um iMac com chip M6 e a estreia dos “MacBooks Ultra”) e iPads (como o iPad mini com tela OLED), contudo, não são esperados para esta semana.

Alguém ansioso por aqui?! 😬

via 9to5Mac

‘Mistrust’ of Palantir may affect NHS research, says health minister

James Frith says patients may be less willing to share data as new figures show a rise in opt-outs

Concern is being raised about Palantir’s work with the NHS as new figures showed tens of thousands of patients have withdrawn their data from use in research projects.

James Frith, the health innovation minister, said he was worried about “mistrust” of the US defence and health tech company and “the impact it could have on people’s willingness to share data with the NHS”.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

© Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

Nearly impossible? How Fairphone built the ethical, repairable Fairphone Gen 6+

4 September 2026 at 12:00

Smartphone longevity didn't used to matter. In the past, before you could wear out or break a phone, there was always some shiny new thing to buy. Today, we expect our smartphones to go the distance, but they've also become less repairable and, in many cases, more fragile. Fairphone, a Dutch smartphone maker that has just entered the US market, thinks about phones differently.

The new $650 Fairphone Gen 6+ is designed both for longevity and easy repairability. There are trade-offs to this approach if you're used to the standard glass and aluminum sandwiches filled with glue, gaskets, and teeny-tiny screws. But the drawbacks could be worth it for the right buyer. Fairphone CTO Chandler Hatton told Ars that Fairphone's goal is to provide a compelling mobile experience while also enabling the user to "fully own" their device. At the end of the day, this is what a lot of people say they want in a smartphone.

Take it apart, put it back together

These days, Google, Samsung, and Apple support phones with software updates for the better part of a decade, but will the hardware last that long? And what happens when it needs a repair? You may be out of luck or out a lot of money, but Fairphone prioritizes the self-repair experience.

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© Ryan Whitwam

Apocalypse prep or pure pragmatism: what is behind Peter Thiel’s move to Argentina?

Relocation coincides with proposed laws that opponents say would entrench power of US tech billionaires in country

Dozens of protesters converged on Peter Thiel’s mansion in Buenos Aires this week after a congressional session raised questions about the billionaire’s presence in the country.

In white masks, they held signs saying “Peter Thief” and “No to the Peter Thiel law” in front of the wrought-iron gates of the $12m (£8.9m) residence, which Thiel bought in April as he moved his family to Argentina.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Lost for 6,000 Years, a Neolithic “Jigsaw Puzzle” Was Reassembled—Revealing a Massive Monument Hidden Across Ancient Sites in France

28 August 2026 at 17:01

For thousands of years, one of prehistoric Europe’s most lasting testaments to monumental architecture has stood along the coast of Brittany.

Hidden among the famous Neolithic monuments in this region of northwestern France is evidence of an earlier landscape—one whose ancient and enormous “standing stones” were occasionally broken apart, later to be reused by builders from successive ages.

France’s famous Locmariaquer megaliths include the Table des Marchands passage grave, the Er-Grah tumulus, and the extraordinary Grand Menhir Brisé, or Great Broken Menhir. Together, these ancient monuments preserve generations of ancient Europe’s monumental construction.

Yet among the most intriguing discoveries from this region are those related to the Table des Marchands itself. Specifically, the enormous, decorated capstone featured with this monument was once part of something else, and its remains preserve evidence of a much earlier massive freestanding stone monument.

Table des Marchand
Exterior of the Table des Marchand at Locmariaquer in Brittany, France (Image Credit: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons / CC 3.0)

A Neolithic Jigsaw Puzzle

During work at the passage tomb of Gavrinis, located on an island roughly four kilometers away, a chance discovery eventually led archaeologists to a breakthrough.

Several decades ago, archaeologist Charles-Tanguy Le Roux had been examining the once-concealed upper surface of the massive capstone, which covers the ancient tomb structure’s main chamber. During his inspection, it became evident to Le Roux that engravings on its surface appeared to be something more than just unique designs etched onto the capstone; they were a continuation of other designs found at the Table des Marchands.

The island of Gavrinis
The island of Gavrinis, where portions of the original ancient megalithic monument, also found at the Table des Marchands, were reused (Image Credit: Pierre F631 / Wikimedia Commons / CC 4.0).

Additional pieces of this Neolithic jigsaw puzzle began presenting themselves nearby, and once reconstructed, the long-separated slabs now seemed to indicate that they had once formed portions of a single monumental, decorated stone, once measuring an astounding 14 meters in length and weighing close to 100 tons.

Over time, fragments of the original monument had apparently been separated and incorporated into different later structures—a discovery that offered evidence of megalithic recycling in the ancient world.

The recycling of monumental ancient fixtures was common in the ancient world. Well-known examples include the reuse of stone blocks from construction sites in Egypt for later monuments. Also, a recent discovery in Turkey revealed that a massive, ancient Lydian-era statue was later broken into two pieces and used as part of a roadway during the Roman era.

Table des Marchand
Interior view of the Table des Marchands at Locmariaquer in Brittany, France (Image Credit: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons / CC 3.0)

An Earlier Monumental Landscape

At the Table des Marchands, the reconstructed stone had been adorned with engravings that included depictions of ancient bovines, as well as symbolic motifs. Originally, it is believed this megalithic marvel once stood as part of an earlier monumental complex in the area, which was toppled and fragmented at some point.

That earlier landscape included the Grand Menhir Brisé, or “The Great Broken Menhir,” a massive megalithic stone that once towered over the site, erected by ancient engineers around 4,700 BC. At the time this megalith stood upright, it measured almost 70 feet in height and weighed some 330 tons, making it one of the most extraordinary engineering achievements known from Neolithic Europe.

Great Broken Menhir
Brittany’s “Great Broken Menhir,” which once stood more than 70 feet high before it toppled around 4000 B.C. (Image Credit: Moreau.henri / Wikimedia Commons / CC 4.0)

Sometime around 4,000 BC, the massive stone megalith toppled over, and today its remains are preserved in four large broken pieces adjacent to the Table des Marchands. Archaeologists believe that it may have once belonged to an alignment of large standing stones erected around the fifth millennium BC.

With time, the large standing stones were brought down, and while ending an ancient megalithic tradition, at least some portions of these ancient monuments saw later reuse in newer monuments. Fragments of these much earlier, highly decorated stones made their way into the nearby tombs, which can still be seen in these monuments today—including the famous capstone at the Table des Marchands, and the massive slab at Gavrinis.

Why Dismantle a Monument?

The exact reason these enormous ancient monuments were dismantled remains unknown, although archaeologists have proposed a few theories.

Such reuse may have been entirely practical and seen as a means of borrowing from available resources present in the landscape when a later need arose. Another possibility is that there may have been a deeper significance to such practices, whereby the addition of fragments from earlier monuments into newer ceremonial or funerary structures may have imbued these newer structures with the essence of the past.

Doing so may have allowed Europe’s ancient Neolithic engineers to preserve connections to their ancestors and establish continuity between past and present as newer monuments were constructed.

Alternatively, it may have been that instead of trying to preserve ancient traditions, later builders who reused components from these monuments may have been deliberately rejecting earlier social or religious ideas by using smashed remnants from those periods in newer constructions.

Amid such questions, the enigmatic capstone of the Table des Marchands offers a unique look at Europe’s remarkable prehistoric engineering, surviving as a fragment of older times that found new purpose in one of Neolithic Brittany’s most intriguing ancient monuments—and pieces to an ancient puzzle that will likely remain unsolved.

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

Air Force Research Lab’s Innovation Unit SpaceWERX Funds Controversial Vacuum Energy Company Casimir

28 August 2026 at 13:38

Casimir Inc., a technology startup that made headlines with its controversial vacuum energy chip, MicroSparc, has received a financial award from the United States Air Force Research Lab’s SpaceWERX to advance the technology toward practical defense applications.

According to a company statement, the Phase I award, part of the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) broader Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, will fund Casimir to explore the technical viability of its vacuum energy chip, which The Debrief previously revealed exclusively.

Although a Phase I award does not guarantee future financial support, the new ‘proof-of-concept and potential’ award could put Casimir in line for future Phase II and Phase III awards from SpaceWERX, depending on the success of this phase.

The company told The Debrief that Casimir’s goal “remains full commercialization of MicroSparc by 2028.”

SpaceWERX Award Will Assess Feasibility of Casimir’s MicroSparc Technology

According to the SpaceWERX site, STTR Phase I grants are awarded to companies to “prove the technical merit and commercial viability of your innovative idea.”

“SpaceWERX manages the United States Space Force’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, awarding contracts to startups and small businesses developing technologies with commercial and defense applications that strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base since 2019,” the SpaceWERX site explained.

 

Although Casimir did not provide financial or timeline specifics, SpaceWERX guidelines indicate these awards typically range from $75K to $180K and last three to 12 months. As an “Open Topic” award, Casimir’s work will also include what the SpaceWERX site describes as “a critical customer discovery phase.”

The company said the new award will allow the team to focus on “developing Casimir’s fully independent solid-state generator to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).”

“The Phase I work is focused on validating Casimir’s independent solid-state generator design against DAF requirements for systems operating in remote or hard-to-service environments,” a company spokesperson told The Debrief. “This is especially notable because it expresses a desire and need for Casimir’s tech in mission-critical environments.”

“The Underlying Physics” Are Not New

Former NASA Eagleworks researcher and Casimir co-founder Dr. Harold G. “Sonny” White later pursued research involving engineered Casimir cavities at the Limitless Space Institute, including work supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

“This concept became a central part of our DARPA Defense Sciences Office (DSO) research effort at the Limitless Space Institute, where DARPA funded early theoretical and experimental investigations into custom Casimir cavity structures and their interaction with the quantum vacuum,” White previously told The Debrief.

Although the company previously said it already has functioning prototypes, many scientists have challenged the technology’s validity, with some labeling the MicroSparc a “perpetual motion” machine that violates the laws of physics. When describing the concept to The Debrief, Dr. White seemed to anticipate those criticisms, noting that MicroSparc takes advantage of established quantum physics principles, clarifying that the technology does not violate basic physics principles.

“The underlying physics itself is not new,” White told The Debrief.

Instead, the former NASA scientist noted that the Casimir effect “has been part of established quantum mechanics since the mid-20th century and has been experimentally verified by laboratories around the world.” MicroSparc, he explained, is based on that science.

MicroSparc, White argues, builds on that established physics, although the company’s much more consequential claim—that its device can produce continuous usable electrical power from the quantum vacuum—has not been independently demonstrated.

“In our device, the quantum vacuum outside the cavity walls vigorously stimulates electrons in the wall atoms,” Dr. White previously told The Debrief. “Occasionally, an electron will quantum tunnel from the wall to one of the central pillars.”

By Emok – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4275811

For clarification, quantum tunneling is a well-established quantum phenomenon in which a particle has a finite probability of crossing an energy barrier that it could not overcome according to classical physics. The effect has been repeatedly demonstrated experimentally and underlies technologies ranging from scanning tunneling microscopes to semiconductor devices.

“Once inside the protected cavity, the environment is far quieter, (so) the probability of the electron tunneling back to the wall is orders of magnitude lower,” White told The Debrief.

White said this phenomenon creates a one-way flow of electrons toward the pillars, a process he compared to “a kind of quantum ratchet.” By fabricating millions of these microscopic cavities on a single chip, White said his team was able to produce “a continuous electrical current drawn from the quantum vacuum.”

Refining the Vacuum Energy Concept for a Fully Independent Generator

When discussing the significance of the award, especially given the controversial nature of vacuum energy concepts, the company told The Debrief that the award is “a signal to the market and community that this tech is pivotal and up-and-coming…now with gov’t resources.”

Dr. White agreed, noting that “This Phase I award is an important step in exploring how Casimir’s solid-state power technology could support national security missions where persistent, reliable power is essential.”

“As a producer of quantum energy technology, this project will allow the Casimir team to refine the concept for a fully independent generator while working with potential customers to better understand the requirements of systems operating in austere and difficult-to-service environments.”

Moving forward, the company told The Debrief that its goal remains targeting commercial availability of Casimir’s MicroSparc chip by 2028, “positioning the company to disrupt the ultra-low-power electronics sector.”

“The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018, which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded, and now, in August 2026, Casimir will continue its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America,” the company’s statement explained.

“Much of modern electronics is constrained by batteries, charging cycles, wiring, maintenance, or environmental limitations,” Dr. White told The Debrief. “If this technology scales successfully, its long-term implications could extend from ultra-low-power sensors and consumer electronics to remote infrastructure, defense systems, and eventually space applications, where persistent power is especially valuable.”

Although Phase I STTR awards are a necessary step toward larger Phase II and Phase III awards, which are designed to take emerging technologies proven in Phase I to the market, the company told The Debrief, “it’s way too soon” to realistically think about those steps, while acknowledging the possibility “down the line.”

Details on the technology are available on Casimir’s Website.

Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and has spent the last six years as Associate News Editor and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him at christopher@thedebrief.org.

The $25 Must-Have Accessory for Every MacBook Air & MacBook Neo Owner

27 August 2026 at 16:56

If you’re a MacBook Air or MacBook Neo owner, there’s one accessory that I consider an absolute must-have; a USB-C hub. Why? Because it considerably expands the port options available to you, it’s not cumbersome, and the good news is that they’re also pretty cheap at around $25. What’s not to like? A good USB-C ... Read More

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