Zen Engine

In the early 22nd century, the invention of Zen Engines generate more energy for less cost than ever before using natural fluctuations in space-time. It is called a triumph for "brain power".   The Zen Engine arose from a much smaller concept. Since the late 20th century, many people in the more advanced areas of planet Earth carried personal electronic identification and communication devices. The storage capacity of batteries became a concern for many. It took a surprisingly long time for self-recharging devices to be added to personal electronics, (especially considering that the self-winding pocket watch was available for sale in A.D. 1777,) but by the mid 21st century small "energy harvestors" became a common component in personal electronics.   Energy harvestors operate by generating useful energy from what would otherwise be wasted motion in the environment. Tiny windmills and solar panels are but two ways that a small electronic device can be powered. Energy can also be harvested from changes in temperature and from movement of the device accelerating and decellerating while being carried by its owner.   When a scientific theory arose that space-time has continuous tiny fluctuations and ripples much like waves on a pond or soft breezes in the air, it was just a matter of time before someone applied the theory to an energy harvestor.   It was widely considered a boon to civilization, the simple idea to harness some of the vast energy flowing around us and through us rather than let it go to waste.