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Experimental Magnetic Shield Against Cosmic Rays

Posted by timothy on from the but-not-against-hyperbole dept.

stiller writes "British scientists from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have developed an experimental set-up in which a $20 magnet is used to deflect solar-wind-like radiation." Reader Dersaidin points out a slightly more enthusiastic article at Universe Today which emphasizes the possibilities of systems based on this phenomenon to protect astronauts during solar storms, writing "It's a good start. Hopefully, later versions will be able to protect spaceships from energy weapons. A beam from the LHC can melt a 500kg block of copper. Shields, check. Energy weapons, check. Now we just need a viable interstellar drive, and an energy source to power it all."

7 of 199 comments (clear)

  1. Drive and Power source by WinPimp2K · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Make the drive coils out of uranium and power it with allotropic iron.
    Of course, you will have to give the ship a good British-sounding name like "The Dentless".

    ANd remember to really reinforce the breech shielding on the Q-Gun.

    --

    You either believe in rational thought or you don't
    1. Re:Drive and Power source by Deadfyre_Deadsoul · · Score: 2, Insightful

      As for the drive, I have always liked the idea of speaker powered drives. So we would attach a pair of Texas sized Pioneer speakers to the back of our space ship, and turn on some heavy, low frequency bass music. Of course we would need a 9364474 joule amp to drive it. It might how ever, take the biosphere off the planets we pass.

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      ~DF
  2. Sounds like Highlander by Dekortage · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Anyone else remember that awful sequel?

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  3. Re:What if you don't want to deflect? by superdave80 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    You only need to protect the occupants and sensitive equipment. You can just put the ramscoop out ahead of the magnetic protection field.

  4. Space elevator by The+Fun+Guy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    When the space elevator eventually gets built, passengers are going to need something to protect them from the radiation in the Van Allen Belts. Rather than hauling a bunch of passive shielding up and down, these isomagnetic shields would be pretty useful.

    Power would come from the same source that drives the climber (whatever that is...).

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  5. Re:Checklist... by Mistshadow2k4 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And the one thing people keep forgetting: a power source. Or are we going to have the crew constantly peddling a bicycle to generate electricity? Which raises a question no one seems to be able to answer; do we need to deflect cosmic rays and solar radiation, or absorb it for use as energy to power the ship's tech?

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  6. Re:Experimental Magic Shield Against Cosmic Rays by hot+soldering+iron · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I thought it said "Experimental Magnetic Shield Against Cosplayers". I was planning to pick one up next time I went to Fry's.

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