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North Korea Announces Achieving Nuclear Fusion

aftertaf writes "North Korea claims to have achieved nuclear fusion by building what it describes as a 'unique thermo-nuclear reaction device.' This announcement was met by skepticism on just about every news website this side of Saturn. Pyongyang claims its latest scientific breakthrough coincides with the birthday of the country's founder and eternal president Kim Il-sung. This is not the first time it seems that the laws of nature have been bent in his honor. According to official biographies, when his son, Kim Jong-il, was born, a new star appeared in the sky." No doubt the Dear Leader combined the atomic nuclei by hand.

41 of 372 comments (clear)

  1. In related news by gyrogeerloose · · Score: 2, Funny

    The mothers of both Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons received Mother's Day card from their sons postmarked Pyongyang.

    --
    This ain't rocket surgery.
  2. Why is Kim Jong IL... by Erythros · · Score: 4, Funny

    Always impersonating that guy from MAD TV??

  3. It's Cold Fusion! by billstewart · · Score: 2, Funny

    We know North Korea hasn't released any very hot vaporware lately, so obviously they've perfected Cold Fusion!

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
    1. Re:It's Cold Fusion! by interkin3tic · · Score: 3, Funny

      I was just going to say, why is this on "idle?" This is HUGE news!

  4. Not a star ... by PhxBlue · · Score: 4, Funny

    It was actually an American spy satellite parked in geosynchronous orbit over North Korea. Wave for the cameras, Kim!

    --
    !#@%*)anks for hanging up the phone, dear.
    1. Re:Not a star ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      ROR!!!

  5. Duke Nukem Forever Released by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    In North Korea, anything is possible.

  6. In other news... by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, power in Pyongyang will only be available from 5:00 - 7:00 PM this week in celebration of the achievement.

    1. Re:In other news... by Spaham · · Score: 5, Funny

      you mean : in celebration of the achievement, power WILL be available from 5:00 - 7:00 PM this week !!

    2. Re:In other news... by khallow · · Score: 2, Funny

      Copious and plentiful electric power is always available. Only enemies of our glorious leader would say otherwise. Please step outside and shout "I'm a capitalist sympathizer" until dawn so that our efficient protectors of society can find and bring you to justice.

  7. He is small enough to do it. by ad454 · · Score: 5, Funny

    No doubt the Dear Leader combined the atomic nuclei by hand.

    No doubt that he is small enough to have done it.

  8. Doesn't the star count by SloWave · · Score: 5, Funny

    I figured he would have took credit for creating fusion when that new star appeared when his son was born.

  9. Where does he find the time? by damn_registrars · · Score: 3, Funny

    I thought the dear leader was busy flying fighter jets, memorizing phone books, breaking golf records, and leading the NBA in rebounding.

    If he can do nuclear fusion as well, then perhaps his talents truly are limitless.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  10. Don't Discriminate! by notommy · · Score: 5, Funny

    >> This announcement was met by skepticism on just about every news website this side of Saturn.
    Sure! Make it sound like we on the other side of Saturn will believe anything. That's planetism sir!

    1. Re:Don't Discriminate! by Colourspace · · Score: 3, Funny

      Yeah, next they'll be telling us Jupiters lost one of its rings. Pfffft.

    2. Re:Don't Discriminate! by jd · · Score: 2, Funny

      Half of it must be. And if you don't look, the probability wave of which half it is won't collapse, so the two halves are equally on the other side.

      --
      It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  11. Good job North Korea! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Congratulations! You managed to announce achieving nuclear fusion!

    The next step is to achieve nuclear fusion.

    I'm sure you'll get there some day.

  12. Low tech but effective by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The breakthrough was made with a hammer and a small amount of nitroglycerin. The reaction released a great deal of energy and as soon as they can aford a new hammer they hope to continue testing.

  13. It's just kimchi and soju . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 2, Funny

    . . . eat and drink enough of that, and your breath can cause nuclear fusion.

    . . . and you don't even want to know about "The Day After" . . .

    . . . that picture is not a fake . . . Mr. Kim has just "let one rip" . . .

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  14. Re:In other top stories... by Altus · · Score: 1, Funny

    That sounds like a real crime against humanity.

    --

    "In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women..." -H. Simpson

  15. Re:Fusion isn't hard. by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 4, Funny

    This was my thought--so what if they did? We did it more than 50 years ago, the Teller-Ulam designed warhead dates to 1951. Fusing two atoms is trivial.

    Hey, let's not burden the journalists with dry facts.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  16. Re:Now a credible threat to the west. by AndersOSU · · Score: 4, Funny

    They'd have to figure out how to grow food first.

  17. North Korean energy solution by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, North Korea has already done an amazing job of keeping down energy use. By restricting electricity to a handful of elites and starving everyone else, they've been able to reduce their carbon footprint to almost nothing. Just look at the results. Glorious leader has produced a much more efficient country than that wasteful South Korea!

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  18. Cool! I'm getting a home unit. by gestalt_n_pepper · · Score: 2, Funny

    They *laughed* when I said my Christmas decorations would wow them this year!

    --
    Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
  19. Re:Microsoft Announces Achieving by binarylarry · · Score: 2, Funny

    Actually, in NK it's "Word To Your Motherland."

    --
    Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
  20. Corrigendum by blair1q · · Score: 4, Funny

    Upon consultation with actual Koreans, it turns out that the original press release said that North Korea had "nuked a Frusion".

    The BBC apologizes for this error.

  21. Re:Fusion isn't hard. by Hal_Porter · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your stupid Earth mind cannot conceive power of Kim Il Sung Juche Physics.

    Unless you send FIVE (5) million tonnes of rice, TEN POINT TWO (10.2) million tonnes of kimchi, FIFTY FOUR POINT SIX (54.6) million tonnes of ramen now you will be destroyed by my Solanite bombs.

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  22. Re:Fusion isn't hard. by nizo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually at the next press announcement they are going to show the actual device, but they have to wait for it to rise first.

  23. North Korea is BEST KOREA! by Improv · · Score: 3, Funny

    How could we doubt someone with sunglasses that are so cool?

    --
    For every problem, there is at least one solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
  24. Re:Nuclear Fusion the new softdrink by sqldr · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's fusion alright.

    They've managed to fuse horseshit with bullshit, and now they're feeding it to the starving masses!

    --
    I wrote my first program at the age of six, and I still can't work out how this website works.
  25. Re:Fusion isn't hard. by Kell+Bengal · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes. And also, it's isn't natural for you to harbour such thoughts about your mother. Seriously, you need therapy.

    --
    Scientists point out problems, engineers fix them
    altslashdot.org: The future of slashdot.
  26. Re:In other top stories... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 3, Funny

    Uhm, a crime against all sentient life in the Universe?

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  27. "offend some people." Ya think? by jeko · · Score: 2, Funny

    The second-most popular Christmas story after Santa Claus was nonsense PR spin?

    Gee, why leave it half done? Got any gay porn starring Mohammed you'd like to post? :-)

    --
    He put his boots up on the table and made a face. "The sig," he smirked. "You can waste your life in search of the sig."
  28. This just in by damnfuct · · Score: 2, Funny

    The design uses Duke Nukem Forever as an operating system..

  29. Re:Thus the star over Bethlehem then by clone53421 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Or, perhaps God planned it on purpose exactly like that, so that the “magi from the East” would recognise Jesus’ birth and come to worship him, fulfilling prophecies such as Isaiah 60:3.

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  30. Re:Thus the star over Bethlehem then by clone53421 · · Score: 2, Funny

    (Obviously, he would have used a sign that pagan astrologers would recognise as the birth of a king. Hence, the star.)

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  31. Re:Fusion isn't hard. by WNight · · Score: 4, Funny

    HELLO

    We name is PRINCE WUNDAI, my family is ONE OF the largest farmer in Nigeria. Father was captured by Warlord who is trying to steal our family fortune. To secure our family, decided we are to looking for a country we can trust to help us smuggle the grain to a safe location.

    We picked your country, NORTH KOREA, because of your honest reputation. We'd like to offer you 50% (HALF) of the grain for your help in securing the rest against warlords and USA aggression.

    The grain is packed on ships, waiting on the name of a port to deliver it to.

    We need only small bribes for the Somalian pirates to let our ships pass, and we will be on our way.

    Please help us, KIM JONG IL

  32. Beloved Leader orders atoms to meld! by swschrad · · Score: 3, Funny

    As all universe obeys Beloved Leader, atoms fused, creating clean, pure energy with no neutrons, no MSG, and no trans-fats.

    Wonderful new creation for used in distillation of brandy.

    -- babelfish from Nut Korean World News

    --
    if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
  33. Re:Thus the star over Bethlehem then by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I'm a muslim and I'm offended by your theory, if you don't apologize immediately and convert to the religion of peace I will stab you to death.

  34. Re:Thus the star over Bethlehem then by clone53421 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why did you feel it necessary to bring up a completely unrelated topic just to mock my belief in God?

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
  35. Re:Thus the star over Bethlehem then by clone53421 · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, actually I was serious.

    Isa. 60 is a passage which is a messianic prophecy. Like many messianic prophecies from the Old Testament, it does not clearly differentiate between the first coming of Jesus as a baby and his return in glory and his reign as predicted in Revelation, but it’s not too difficult to see where it switches over. Verses 1-3 refer to his birth:

    “Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

    See, darkness covers the earth
    and thick darkness is over the peoples,
    but the LORD rises upon you
    and his glory appears over you.

    Nations will come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

    The magi, or kings, who came from the East, are considered by some to be a fulfillment of the prophecy in that last verse.

    Like I said elsewhere... I’m not offended by his theory, but I do think it is incorrect, and I figured I might as well post an alternate theory from a Christian perspective. Take it for whatever you feel it’s worth.

    --
    Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.