Something disruptive may be happening

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 21 Mar 2012, 02:19

A breakaway disruptive new technology to harness a form of energy we've been trying to crack for the last 60 years might be just about to hit break even if results of a simulation in one of the USA's national physics labs pan out.

Stay tuned.

I fully await the choruses of "Oh the horror!" and "We must stop it because industrial civilization has to be stopped!"

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 21 Mar 2012, 08:02

fifthcolumn wrote:A breakaway disruptive new technology to harness a form of energy we've been trying to crack for the last 60 years might be just about to hit break even if results of a simulation in one of the USA's national physics labs pan out.

Stay tuned.

I fully await the choruses of "Oh the horror!" and "We must stop it because industrial civilization has to be stopped!"

Don't be silly.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 21 Mar 2012, 11:25

I guess you are talking about high powered lasers and nuclear fusion.

It's been under development for decades. A new simulation would not be news.

A working prototype reactor that generated more energy than it consumed over a sustained period (hours or days) would be news.

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 21 Mar 2012, 14:25

RalphW wrote:
A working prototype reactor that generated more energy than it consumed over a sustained period (hours or days) would be news.

This.

Though I reckon theres only a 1% chance it's real which is where the "may" in the title comes from.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 21 Mar 2012, 14:44

Any chance of a link to an article about said revolutionary apparatus so that we can judge for ourselves?

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 21 Mar 2012, 15:33

Aurora wrote:Any chance of a link to an article about said revolutionary apparatus so that we can judge for ourselves?

https://share.sandia.gov/news/resources ... gy-output/

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 21 Mar 2012, 15:47

Hmmm. Pass the salt.

If they'd said it was not feasible, I'd have thought, "They're on to something."

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 21 Mar 2012, 15:54

emordnilap wrote:Hmmm. Pass the salt.

If they'd said it was not feasible, I'd have thought, "They're on to something."

I liked this ...

Potential problems involve controlling instabilities in the liner

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 21 Mar 2012, 15:58

Hmmm. You lot are incorrigably resistant to any kind of even *inkling* of good news.

If the post was from a private company you'd have written it off as being marketing fluff trying to get funding from the stock market.

In this case it's a post from a government lab. They must be looking for a grant I suppose.

Oh well back to head in the oil sands.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 21 Mar 2012, 15:59

fifthcolumn wrote:Hmmm. You lot are incorrigably resistant to any kind of even *inkling* of good news.

You're as cynical as anyone, fifth.

fifthcolumn wrote:In this case it's a post from a government lab.

Owned by Lockheed Martin. They are arse-about-face in the states I suppose.

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 21 Mar 2012, 16:02

emordnilap wrote:
fifthcolumn wrote:Hmmm. You lot are incorrigably resistant to any kind of even *inkling* of good news.
You're as cynical as anyone, fifth.

It was beaten into me. I used to be naive.

Lord Beria3 · Post by **Lord Beria3** » 21 Mar 2012, 18:31

I am open minded to the possibility that one day fusion could solve many of our energy problems, but until there is a working fusion programme in place I will remain sceptical.

UndercoverElephant · Post by **UndercoverElephant** » 21 Mar 2012, 18:50

fifthcolumn wrote:Hmmm. You lot are incorrigably resistant to any kind of even *inkling* of good news.

Not true. I've just spent thirty years hearing rumours about usable fusion technologies being just around the corner, and every previous time it has come to nothing, for one reason or another. I've now reached the point where I don't take them seriously, and I think that is how many other people also feel. I realise that one day one of these rumours may turn out to be the one which actually leads to a usable new technology, but I won't believe it till it actually happens.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 21 Mar 2012, 19:08

UndercoverElephant wrote:
fifthcolumn wrote:Hmmm. You lot are incorrigably resistant to any kind of even *inkling* of good news.
Not true. I've just spent thirty years hearing rumours about usable fusion technologies being just around the corner, and every previous time it has come to nothing, for one reason or another. I've now reached the point where I don't take them seriously, and I think that is how many other people also feel. I realise that one day one of these rumours may turn out to be the one which actually leads to a usable new technology, but I won't believe it till it actually happens.

+1

Even a number of my PO aware friends seem to think that technology will save the day.

I'll become a believer when it's up and running.

hodson2k9 · Post by **hodson2k9** » 21 Mar 2012, 19:53

HOT fusion will never become a commercially viable energy form.

PowerSwitch

Something disruptive may be happening

Something disruptive may be happening

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