British Researchers Say Fusion Is Close

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British Researchers Say Fusion Is Close

Posted by timothy on Monday October 1, 2001 @06:01PM from the but-I-thought-it-was-close-20-years-ago dept.

sh00z writes: "The article quotes a leading scientist saying that Fusion power is 'within reach' in the next decade, with commercial plants to follow within another 10 or so years. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone at Texas A&M. They might just jump the starting gun again."

11 of 443 comments (clear)

Definition of "Real Soon" by PD · 2001-10-01 18:12 · Score: 5, Funny

For years, fusion has been 50 years away. To find out what date most people think fusion will become practical, all you need to do is add 50 to the current year. That means that fusion will be practical in 2051.

Of course in 2051, fusion will still be 50 years away.

Amazingly, by calculating the density and power requirements of the latest and greatest CPUs from Intel, we get the same number. By Moore's law of fusion, the heat and energy available to start a fusion reaction in a typical Intel processor doubles each year. By a simple formula, you can determine that in the year 2051 Intel CPU's will be so hot they can fuse hydrogen! This amazing calculation through two independent means confirms the majority opinion: fusion is still 50 years off.

I'm sure there's somebody out there trying to imagine a Beowulf cluser of fusion processors.

--
If tits were wings it'd be flying around.
summary of article by pussycat · 2001-10-01 18:14 · Score: 4, Funny

- a cool picture of a pink torus of plasma

- commercial fusion may be possible in "a few decades"

- that is all
Re:ten years == we don't really know by MrBlack · 2001-10-01 18:15 · Score: 4, Funny

Predicting timelines is best left to engineers
Just not software engineers! ;^)
Fusion != Cold Fusion by MikeyLikesIt! · 2001-10-01 18:41 · Score: 4, Funny

Fusion and Cold Fusion ARE NOT THE SAME THING!
I mean, really... What more can I say?

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I dunno... What do you wanna do?
1. Re:Fusion != Cold Fusion by jitenpai · 2001-10-01 19:50 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Well.... cold fusion is already commercially available
  
  --
  ____
  Sometimes the voices in my head speak over each other. This is one of those times.
Re:Here we go again by BrookHarty · 2001-10-01 19:22 · Score: 3, Funny

Humm, Those ghosts in PACMAN have pretty good AI, always chasing my ass.
No Fun At All by TripleP · 2001-10-01 19:26 · Score: 5, Funny

Damn Cold Fusion! I was starting to really enjoy the rolling blackouts, besides the super long coffee breaks, I got to grope the hot intern in the copy room when the lights went out.
Re:Call me a cynic... by warmcat · 2001-10-01 20:29 · Score: 5, Funny

Tampons and Beer... that'll need a lot of marketing to overtake Gin and Tonic.
Fusion Safety by billstewart · 2001-10-01 21:04 · Score: 5, Funny

Fusion reactors are only safe if you can provide adequate shielding and keep them far enough away from people.

93 million miles and an ozone layer seems about right.

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Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
Re:Oh man by Graymalkin · 2001-10-01 21:47 · Score: 2, Funny

Such big words from someone lacking the value of his own opinion to such a degree he can't even take responsibility for it. Shut the fuck up needle dick :)

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I'm a loner Dottie, a Rebel.
As a A&M Physics grad, by workly · 2001-10-01 23:02 · Score: 4, Funny

let me just make sure that everyone knows
that it was the chemistry department.

Yes, the guys with the grant
for turning lead into gold.

You think I'm kidding.