Aetheric Dynamo: Steampunk ghost-catching apparatus

The Aetheric Dynamo from steampunk sculptor Dan Cohen is a notional ghost-catching apparatus of great loveliness:

The primary purpose of this machine is the attraction and capture of a lower Aetheric Shell, otherwise known colloquially as a ‘ghost’ or ‘spirit. The secondary function is the transformation of the Shell into remote aetheric antennae, and the transduction of aetheromagnetic energy into electromagnetic current.

Link (Thanks, Dan!)

[#1 posted by reaper2k , March 25, 2008 7:28 AM]

Seems to me that the primary purpose of such a device would be to separate a fool from his money.

"Back off man, I'm a scientist." -- Bill Murray, Ghostbusters

[#2 posted by CJ , March 25, 2008 11:04 AM]

When I first saw this device, it was at the Portland Burning Man decompression party. The artist had placed it on a pedestal with a blank, lined notebook next to it, and instructions to write down what YOU thought this thing did!

It was wonderfully crafted, and there were some really great ideas in the book! I hope he publishes those some day...

It really is a thing of beauty, when you see it in person.

[#3 posted by License Farm , March 25, 2008 2:14 PM]

@ #1: Or, more benignly, as an objet d'art, a curio in the vein of classic pseudoscience.

[#4 posted by anthony , March 25, 2008 2:42 PM]

ElectroPsychometer v1.0?

[#5 posted by Antinous , March 25, 2008 3:19 PM]

It's obviously an astral matrix amplifier. Does the glass globe on the right shoot fire? Because that would be cool.