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Laser Fusion Passes Major Hurdle

chill writes "The National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has performed their first controlled fusion experiments using all 192 lasers. While still not ramped up to full power, the first experiments proved very fruitful. The lasers create a lot of plasma in the target container and researchers worried that the plasma would interfere with the ability of the target to absorb enough energy to ignite. These experiments show that not only does enough energy make it through, the plasma can be manipulated to increase the uniformity of compression. Ramping up of power is due to start in May." The project lead, Dr. Sigfried Glenzer, is "confident that with everything in place, ignition is on the horizon. He added, quite simply, 'It's going to happen this year.'"

11 of 354 comments (clear)

  1. Re:So... by d3ac0n · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just don't take it any faster than 85 miles an hour.

    Unless you want to visit the '80's, the '50's, or the old west.

    --
    Official Heretic from the "Church of Global Warming". Proven right thanks to whistle blowers. AGW = Flat Earth Theory
  2. This is wonderful! by fredrated · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now fusion energy is only 10 years away!

    1. Re:This is wonderful! by Nadaka · · Score: 4, Funny

      Ha. Unlike CERN, they had the insight to build this thing inside an building that isn't in France. That means it is 99.999% proof against a pidgeon dropping a baguette in it.

  3. Within a Year? Blasphemy! by eldavojohn · · Score: 5, Funny

    The project lead, Dr. Sigfried Glenzer, is "confident that with everything in place, ignition is on the horizon. He added, quite simply, 'It's going to happen this year.'

    Huh. I had always thought that some international police force like "The International Fusion Gestapo" would be dispatched upon hearing this news and show up at your lab and start smashing mirrors and urinating on lasers until you revised your statement to be "15 to 20 years away" so that all their dues paying members would have time to reach tenure before you ruined the party.

    I mean, there was no other logical explanation why so many seemingly brilliant scientists continually gave us incorrect estimates of achieving milestones in fusion research. Is this just being overly optimistic or was he carefully picking his words so that they will know if this method is viable (above break even energy production) or not within a year? And if so, where will he get his funding given the if not scenario?

    --
    My work here is dung.
  4. Lasers? by RealErmine · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why aren't they using an array of neural-network-controlled, articulated metal arms to control the fusion chamber?

    --
    Dewey, you fool! Your decimal system has played right into my hands!
  5. National Ignition Facility? by lxs · · Score: 4, Funny

    Are you sure it's wise to ignite your nation?

    I'm glad that there's plenty of water between me and the nation in question.

    1. Re:National Ignition Facility? by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 4, Funny

      They didn't say which nation they'd be igniting. I'm looking at you, Cyprus.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  6. Re:Pocket Fusion for everyone,,, by Farmer+Tim · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...your 300mW pocket laser pointer popping balloons & burning wood.

    You're supposed to take it out of your pocket before using it.

    --
    Blank until /. makes another boneheaded UI decision.
  7. Re:So... by wwfarch · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah but the speedometer has some inaccuracies so keep it below 85 to be safe.

  8. Re:So... by Sebilrazen · · Score: 5, Funny

    It was Doc Fucking Brown, not only was that speedometer perfect, it was digital.

    --
    "There are no facts, only interpretations." --Friedrich Nietzsche.
  9. Re:Ah, it's digital. That explains it. by entoke · · Score: 3, Funny

    since it was perfect