Fusion Reactor Work Gets Go-Ahead

[mikepepler]

Fusion power would catapult us as a species from Planet size civilization to Solar size and possible beyond.

Reminds me of Agent Smith in the Matrix describing humans as a virus, spreading through the universe destroying environments!

[PaulS]

And Smith was of course quite right, as things stand. Hopefully, shocks like PO and GW may help to bring about a bit more introspection and self regulation into human behaviour. Hard to see that, but there is always hope.

[peaky]

Fusion power would catapult us as a species from Planet size civilization to Solar size and possible beyond. Energy would not again in any foreseeable circumstances ever be a limiting factor on human endeavour. It would be a truly revolutionary change. more than a wheel, more than a combustion engine.

Of course, in the mean time we have the small problem of PO and GW at the same time, threatening loss of civilization and even species extinction. I think it is a race for survival. Either we manage to develop fusion power whilst civilization still exists or we go extinct as a cultural species.

No doubt, many threats will remain post fusion energy, particularly the exploitative nature of us humans and our society, nicely encapsulated in company law and capitalism as such. Together with our apparent inability to arrive at long term sustainable reasoned solutions, we may yet destroy ourselves regardless of the energy issue.

I believe it was Einstein who said after the development of the atomic bomb - "Everything has changed except our way of thinking and thus we drift unparalled toward disaster". I don't personally believe that our morals and ecological awareness have anywhere near kept pace with our technological prowess, which is why we're in so much of a mess. When you think of the damage we've done to the planet with the limited amount of energy we've had so far, just try and imagine what insanities we'd cook up with unlimited fusion power (assuming such a thing could actually exist).

What we really need is a new way of relating to our home planet, not another miracle energy source. IMHO.

[Electron]

I think they should rather focus on improving powerstorage, making batteries more efficient.
It could be another 500 years before fusion power will become a possiblitiy, with current technology.
Fusion power on a small scale is like turning iron into gold, after centuries
they discovered it isnt actually possible. Maby antimatter power is a better bet. I wish they could develop fusion but something tells me well need some miracle or devine wisdom to do it.

[skeptik]

It could be another 500 years before fusion power will become a possiblitiy, with current technology.

I'm often accused of being a pessimist on this one, but I think this is way too pessimistic. The route to fusion power is visible - the scientists and engineers have their road map and know what has to be done - its now just a hugely difficult technological slog. Damn hard work and lots of it.

500 years is however way too pessimistic. I'm certain in my own mind that a fusion reactor which continuously and reliably produces more power than it consumes will be up and running by the end of this century - that's providing there is no major SHTF scenario that effects the global industrial system to the extent that the required high tech bibs'n'bobs cannot be produced.