Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
19 November 2010
Inventor Claims He
Built Anti-
John Searl built a machine in the 1960s that hovered like a flying saucer and drew its power out of thin air, so he claimed. Is he a hoaxer or visionary?
British inventor John Searl has been called a genius; he’s also been called a nutbar.
The Searl Effect Generator (SEG), described on Searl’s several websites, consisted of three concentric rings each made of a composite of four different materials.
The three rings were fixed to a base. Surrounding each of the rings, and free to
rotate around them, were rollers -
Surrounding the rollers on the outer ring were coils that were connected in various configurations to supply either AC or DC current at a variety of voltages.
Free Energy Travel
At low speeds, Mr. Searl claimed that the SEG produced electrical power by absorbing it from the surrounding environment and transmitting it through the roller and ring arrangement to collectors.
When the speed increased past a certain point, the claim was that the apparatus became a superconductor that created an enormous antigravity effect. This antigravity effect was supposed to be what made Mr. Searl’s machine appear to hover.
But, the inventor said the SEG could do more than hover. According to a March 5,
1978 report in the London Sunday Times, “It is provisionally scheduled to fly from
Reading [England] to Auckland [New Zealand] later this year – in 30 minutes. To save
agonizing mental arithmetic, this home-
The Science Is Questioned
Gunnar Sandberg of the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences at the University of Sussex in England said in a report that the hovering was more likely achieved by hanging the SEG from a wire so it could be photographed as appearing to be suspended in space.
Sandberg said he got this information from one of Searl’s sons.
In April 1991, a Danish engineer, Anders Heerfordt, also questioned Searl’s technology. He said he asked Searl to demonstrate his SEG device or to put him in touch with people who had witnessed a hovering flight. Heerfordt drew a blank on both requests.
Searl went ballistic and posted a rebuttal to Anders Heerfordt’s conclusions on his website. It is almost incoherent and mostly engages in character assassination aimed at those who question the inventor’s brilliance.
Deluded or a Genius?
His prototypes worked fine says Searl, but somehow they have gone missing. Then, there was an unfortunate house fire and the notes and drawings went up in smoke. Heerfordt says he was able to discover no evidence of a fire.
John Searl calls himself “Professor” but has never produced evidence of a doctorate in any discipline. He’s also been in a spot of bother with the law.
On 26 November 1982, The Times reported that John Searl entered a guilty plea to charges he tried to topple some electricity pylons using a chainsaw and hacksaw. Searl was angry at the electricity utility because he was being charged with stealing power by bypassing his house meter.
Whether or not Searl actually believes in his invention only he knows. He is certainly passionate about it, running many websites extolling its virtues. He also has a devout following of believers.
Searl is not alone. He is one of many, such as Boris Volfson, who have patented what
they claim to be anti-
Searl is also trying to drum up donations so he can continue his research. Now in his late 70s, John Searl has spent almost his entire life devoted to his Searl Effect Generator to no discernible positive effect.
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