Where is Max Loughan now? His lowkey life
In 2016, 13-year-old Max Loughan solved the energy crisis – he created a $14 device that could harness energy from thin air. Loughan claimed that the device turned electromagnetic energy into usable electrical energy. He even lit a string of LED lights using energy gathered by his homemade contraption.
People compared the boy wonder to Nikola Tesla. On the face of it, Max deserved such high esteem – he’d created a device that could harvest energy from the air. The local news reporter that interviewed him wondered how much energy a bigger harvester would collect.
However, the hype around Max and his device faded away. Recently, netizens have expressed concern over Max’s well-being.
Max lives a lowkey life with his family after his ‘invention’ flopped
Max Loughan was hailed as a child prodigy who would provide the world with free energy. The teenager gave interviews and talks: he wowed audiences with his ambition and mastery of scientific terms, but there was one problem: his invention had no large-scale potential.
There isn’t enough ‘free’ electromagnetic energy in the air to create worthwhile electrical power. ElectroBOOM on YouTube conducted an experiment using Max’s theory: he used a wire to measure the electromagnetic energy in the atmosphere. The maximum amount of energy in the air was less than 1 volt.
“Not enough to power shit,” the narrator said in the video uploaded on 24th January 2018. It turned out that Max’s ‘invention’ had existed for nearly a century. Loughan used modern tools to create a crystal radio, a communication device that used the power of received radio signals to produce sound.
People accused Max’s parents of pushing the boy to hype a device with no potential. They also blamed the local news station and scientists that popularized Max’s invention for failing to vet the device.
Max’s profile on the We Are Family Foundation shows the extent of the excitement surrounding the boy:
“By giving light worldwide to people who need it, Max aims to increase their safety, literacy and ability to perform activities that many people take for granted. Along with numerous speaking engagements in the U.S., Max has been invited to speak in four countries and judge the prestigious World Science Festival Brisbane.”
Loughan adopted a lowkey life after his ‘invention’ flopped. His last social media update was a Facebook post uploaded in April 2020: “I like to build things. I want to change the world and make it a better place. I also hope to inspire.”
In late 2022, concern for Max prompted TikTok user jjemmans to look for Max. Jjemmans found a photo of Loughan and his family from March 2021. The TikToker said:
“I know we don’t have anything from this year, but they are all laying low – they are not trying to get out there. I know his mom and dad just started a new business in Nevada and he’s doing a patent. It seems to be going well for their family. They are just hiding on the internet.”
