Amazing what they can think of. Well, I guess if visible light works on plazma so can other parts of the spectrum like radio waves.
The plasma antenna was actually one of the prime focuses of the "stealing energy from AM towers" video posted recently.
Years ago was another video here about water antennas used on some ships, which shoot narrow streams of water high in the air by the use of pumps. Those columns of water then being connected to the transmitters somehow and acting as antenna.
Speaking of antennas.. theres a misconception that carrier-current (which is still an antenna) refers only to use of existing wiring of a building or power lines, cabling or what have you. But in reality carrier-current applies to any form of signal transmission by conduction. The original college carrier current stations used gas and steam pipes. - That's where the phrase Gas Pipe broadcasters came from.
Carl you missed something found at the end of that article you posted. It provides a link to "The Incredible Shrinking Radio
https://www.livescience.com/7383-incredible-shrinking-radio.html
A new wireless radio receiver thousands of time slimmer than a human hair could lead to radios far smaller than those of today.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, created a carbon nanotube "demodulator" that can translate AM radio waves into sound waves. In a recent demonstration, the researchers used it to transmit classical music wirelessly from an iPod to a speaker several feet away.... A demodulator converts an AM radio signals into electrical signals that can be fed into a speaker to produce sounds. The new device is about 100 times smaller than similar technology used in commercial wireless radio receivers,.. The device marks an important step in the evolution of nano-electronics and could lead to the production of the world's smallest radio, the scientists say.
@richardpowers Yes, I did see the piece about 'the world's smallest radio'. I'm glad you linked it.