Scientists aim to replicate the sun

Scientists aim to replicate the sun

www.upi.com

Scientists in California say they're trying to replicate the power of the sun by firing laser beams at a tiny pellet of hydrogen.

Physicists at the National Ignition Facility in Livermore say the nuclear fusion experiments may offer the world a clean source of energy, The Times of London reported Sunday.

The hydrogen pellet will be hit with 192 laser beams capable of generating 500 trillion watts -- 1,000 times the power of the U.S. national grid, said the scientists.

"We hope the ignition experiments will show that we can generate more power than we put in and that fusion can be the source of a supply of carbon-free energy," said Ed Moses, director of the facility.

Science is at least 25 years away from building fusion power stations that could provide a clean alternative to fossil fuels. Those power stations would use hydrogen atoms extracted from sea water as fuel to generate carbon-free electricity with minimal radioactive waste, Moses said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

When I read things like this my science junkie part of me says GREAT!!!
Isn't science wonderful... unlimited free energy!!!

When I read things like this my inner ludite part of me says GREAT!!!
Something else we can thoroughly screw up.!!!

Things like this also remind me of the refrain from an old Dire Straits song...

...

get your money for nothing and your chicks for free.

The main thing I come away with is while nuclear power is safe and clean as long as nothing goes wrong and you pay no attention to the radioactive waste... so I have to ask...

... what's the catch?

www.upi.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 19-3-2009 by grover]

In terms of Nuclear fusion; it creates almost no waste. No catch; only it's experimental at the moment and won't be generating commercial power by 2050. Probably VERY expensive capital costs too.

en.wikipedia.org...

[edit on 19/3/2009 by C0bzz]

well teh catch is going to be the same as with coal and whatnot. the price will be whatever people are willing to pay to have it.

2nd line

Except for the power expended to create the laser.
Second line

reply to post by djvexd


Yes. However, if you get it to the point where it is self sustaining, that problem can be solved.

Originally posted by grover

Scientists aim to replicate the sun

We need spiderman to save the day if this thing goes out of control!

I am no excitable lunatic who thinks that they will do something stupid like turn the planet into a sun... still I have to wonder at the arrogance that thinks that we DO have the knowledge to know what we are doing.