Basically, these scientists are planning to use a powerful laser to create a nuclear reaction that will make a tiny star. The first trial is set for late this summer.
They are claiming to end the energy crisis.
I mean, in theory, I am very excited. But, this seems so science fiction I feel like I am in a dream.
I ask AG:
1. Do you think it is safe even in an underground bunker with 6.5 ft thick concrete walls? (given, we are not scientists here)
2. I would like to know what you think the world would be like with out having to use fossil fuels, electricity, etc?
We never have been able to successfully do 'fusion' before. we can break open a nucleus, which makes a nuclear bomb, but we haven't been able to fuse. how do we know we can even successfully do that?
We never have been able to successfully do 'fusion' before. we can break open a nucleus, which makes a nuclear bomb, but we haven't been able to fuse. how do we know we can even successfully do that?
We do fusion on a regular basis. Case in point: Particle accelerators.
We used to use them to plot for the apocalypse. Case in point: Thermonuclear bombs.
We're also working on sustained fusion, which is what our little star is aiming for. It's a problem that's plagued us for decades.
Also, the hottest temperatures ever recorded were during scientific fusion experiments. 100 million plus degrees.
Fusion and Fission are two extremely high-power energy sources.
Fusion tremendously more so.
But what we're doing is duplicating the process of the sun, of stars, and imagine how much energy there is
If we can get it to safely work.
Why do you think they have so many precautions?
The experiments aren't on mass scale. That, and things that have never been done before tend to fail. This experiment I highly disprove of anywhere near major cities, small or large scale. We don't know the type of energy we could release. If it was on some remote island in the South Pacific, I wouldn't be so disapproving. At least islands in the South pacific don't have the potential to kill anyone save the scientists.
I really don't think that this thing is likely to grow into a giant star and eat the earth like people are saying because it is on such a small scale.
Since they are only using a very small quantity of hydrogen isotopes, there is no chance that it will turn into a big star like our own, or even big enough to cause a threat to humanity - because there just simply isn't enough mass to make this happen. And don't forget the Laws of Conservation of Mass and Energy, it can't be created or destroyed...
Of course, you might think that this isn't true because where then is all of the energy from the reaction coming from - but that is from the simple reaction of fusing hydrogen atoms together into helium - which creates a lot of energy by actually turning some of the mass into energy during the reaction. See here if you are interested in this process...
It is interesting to note that this isn't the first time something involving hydrogen fusion has been done on Earth. It is possible to fuse hygrogen at high temperatures, however it has been found that the energy needed to reach these heats is actually higher than the energy released.
So, to answer the OP questions before this becomes tl;dr...
1. Yes it is safe - we're not going to get a massive star eating us...
2. This question isn't correct - electricity and fossil fuels are not the same thing. Fossil fuels are used to create electricity which is used to power our homes. So you've either got it wrong or are asking two questions at once.
The guy who wrote that article either knows nothing about the subject or is dumbing it down too much. It's nowhere near big enough to be dangerous to anything outside the ignition chamber, and anything inside would be pwned by the lasers before anything nuclear even happened.
adios, you somewhat bring up a point of mine in this topic. Sorry, you have to be the demonstrator for this. And no offense, by the way. You're views, like mine on this subject, vary because we do not have the knowledge to make an informed opinion on the matter. I think the next step is to find some kind of layman's outline of how this thing would really work.
No offense taken, and I do agree. I doubt we can get our hands on something like that though.
The guy who wrote that article either knows nothing about the subject or is dumbing it down too much. It's nowhere near big enough to be dangerous to anything outside the ignition chamber, and anything inside would be pwned by the lasers before anything nuclear even happened.
Lazers destroy a star? Where do you get your info? I do believe the lazers would fuel the star for a moment, then the star would start to engulf the room, lazers and all, and would just expand due to the rapid growth.
Lazers destroy a star? Where do you get your info? I do believe the lazers would fuel the star for a moment, then the star would start to engulf the room, lazers and all, and would just expand due to the rapid growth.
The point of the lasers is to compress and heat the target enough to initiate fusion. The star will last 200 trillionths of a second, and only get 5 microns across. That's nowhere near enough to be dangerous outside the ignition chamber. Anyone stupid enough to be inside the ignition chamber would get torn apart by the lasers before the star even ignited.
Lazers destroy a star? Where do you get your info? I do believe the lazers would fuel the star for a moment, then the star would start to engulf the room, lazers and all, and would just expand due to the rapid growth.
It will not expand. At all. If it does expand, it's an enormous thermonuclear explosion, which is my only qualms about the whole thing.
It's a brilliant idea, it's just not safe for my tastes. It seems too off the rails to even try to use anywhere near people.
As for the expansion, there isn't nearly enough fuel.
Ahh, the lovely gap between science and everyday life. Nuclear fusion != star, guys. Yes, nuclear fusion does happen in a star, but in a fustion reactor it's not a star. They just create some superheated plasma-thingey that will rip an atom's protons from it's neutrons, making the largest nuclear reactor today look like a AAA battery. Is it safe? Probably safer than a toyota car, or flying over iceland right now. There are risks everywhere, and this is no different
They just create some superheated plasma-thingey that will rip an atom's protons from it's neutrons,
There are no neutrons in the hydrogen isotopes which they will use I don't think...and its not a superheated plasma thingey...it is just multiple focused beams of light...
First off, Nuclear fission is when an atom's protons are ripped away from its neutrons. Stars do not do this, they do something completely different its called nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion is when Hydrogen atoms are combined together to create helium, thus creating huge amounts of energy. Second off, this experiment is almost risk free (in theory and in my eyes) and the goal for this experiment is not to create anything near a mainstream star, the goal is to see if we can imitate what a star does (combining hydrogen atoms to make helium) but on a much smaller scale. Thirdly, we already do nuclear fission in nuclear power plants, and in 20 years tops we will probably see nuclear fusion reactors everywhere because of its zero pollutants and low supplies thus making electricity extremely cheap which makes pure plug in cars a reality!
and in 20 years tops we will probably see nuclear fusion reactors everywhere because of its zero pollutants and low supplies thus making electricity extremely cheap which makes pure plug in cars a reality!
If it made making electricity extremely cheap then we would already be seeing it now.
Fusion Reactors may create large amounts of energy...but the amount of energy needed to make this reaction happen can often be greater than that released.
For example, if you give the Hydrogen isotopes this energy through heat - the heat required costs more to produce than the energy which is produced in the reaction.
The reason why the technology used in the 'Star blooming' process is potentially groundbreaking is that by using multiple light waves which are directed at a single point the heat needed can be created at a much lesser cost - and less energy is wasted.
