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First Plasma on the Levitated Dipole Experiment
deglr6328 writes "In light of recent, somewhat disappointing news in the world of nuclear fusion research, it is worth noting that there are still reasons to keep up hope that some breakthroughs are yet to be made. At 12:53 pm on the 13th. of this month the Levitated Dipole Experiment achieved its first plasma. The Levitated Dipole Experiment(LDX), built at MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center as a joint project of Columbia University and MIT, is a magnetic confinement fusion research device, that unlike all previous stellarator, reverse-field pinch and tokamak like experiments, uses a superconducting levitated torus to confine its plasma. The LDX's achievement of first plasma is, in a way, about 17 years in the making even though it has only been in construction since 1999. The concept for LDX was first considered by Akira Hasegawa as he was studying the data coming in from the Voyager missions which flew through the (dipole) magnetospheres of the outer planets. He noticed that unlike laboratory confined fusion plasmas which tended to be unstable, difficult to control, and which lost energy quickly, the plasma of a magnetosphere is intrinsically more quiescent, stable and actually reacts favorably (increases its density/temperature) to outside perturbations such as ie. bombardment by a solar storm. A highly informative and interesting video of operations on the day of first shot can be found here. Congratulations to the scientists and engineers who have worked very hard on getting the project to this point and here's looking forward to the possibility that LDX will reveal fundamentally new physics in the arduous quest for clean fusion energy."
And remember kids: in Soviet Russia dipols levitate YOU!
Now when can I get one in my DeLorean?
... Doesn't Mean that It actually Won't Be.
... but who is to say there won't be horrible, unwanted side-effects from this, somewhere down the road, when someone else invents a technology that allows us to connect the dots together in ways we don't, currently?
Sure, it may be 'safe' by our standards now, just like asbestos was safe enough to make underwear out of, and people used to get their toes x-ray'ed 'for the perfect fit'
The problem with Science is the same as the problem with Religion. Absolutes are un-attainable.
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
I should start using the preview button. Now, not only do I look like a complete imbecile (I may very well be), but now I'm completely off topic. Let this be a lesson to you. Goodbye karma, I'll miss you. *sniff*
1.Netcraft confirms:In Soviet Russia all your base welcomes a beowolf cluster of CowboyNeal overlords. 2.? 3.Profit!!1!
Extraterrestrials exist.
Their ship has been found.
Know your pads. One time pad: good for cryptography. Two timing pad: where to take your mistress.