Scientists Say Their Giant Laser Has Produced Nuclear Fusion

The new technique can't reach "ignition," which is the point at which the hydrogen fusion feeds on itself to make more. Even so, JET's Cowley says, this is still a big moment for NIF.

"I think it's still a very important step forward, they reached fusion conditions, they made some fusion happen, and that's not been done before [with a laser]," he says.

Hurricane says no one knows for sure whether NIF can really reach the point of ignition. "It's not up to me; it's up to Mother Nature," he says. "But we're certainly going to try."

Scientists Say Their Giant Laser Has Produced Nuclear Fusion

It's a big step forward I think but nothing to dance about yet. It seems that the scientists working on this project have figured out the major problem with achieving fusion, previously they would get fuel leaks all over the place when shooting the hydrogen with a laser, they've no figured out how to keep that from happening. However even though they got more power out of the hydrogen than the laser put in, it still takes an enormous amount of power to fire those lasers, certainly more than they got out of the helium they created. What this means really is, we need to design better lasers. This is a very encouraging step.

reply to post by Kali74


Maybe not so good in energy as Lockheed to to be way ahead of the game with magnetic confinement fusion.

BUT

This could have some HUGE and I mean HUGE game changing implicatiosn for a fast, clean and cheap space based propuslion sytsem.

reply to post by Kali74


Can they mount it on the head of a shark?

(I'm sure it would be NIFty).

Giggle... "Omar Hurricane"... Pfft! Sorry just seemed funny to me. Bet you that having a name like that really blows some times.

Did you know that if you type 'S n i g g e r' without spaces on ATS it renders it to S'n-word'? That's funny too.

I would rather see this kind of technology get pushed than alternative.

Shrink it down for effs sake.

3 football fields long.

500 trillion watts!

LOL

YEARS is right before we will see the benefits.

reply to post by crazyewok


Containment will be important, we have no idea what will happen if we can ever ignite fusion... the only example of ignited fusion we have is the sun. Aside from turning ourselves into a miniature star though fusion looks to be 100% clean.

reply to post by chr0naut


LOL try snicker... that's the American version.

reply to post by neo96


Solar and wind are viable and getting cheaper all the time. Fusion would be great for industrial and construction purposes though.

Kali74
reply to post by crazyewok

 

Containment will be important, we have no idea what will happen if we can ever ignite fusion... the only example of ignited fusion we have is the sun. Aside from turning ourselves into a miniature star though fusion looks to be 100% clean.

And the H Bomb. Thats fusion with a fission stage. We pretty much know what will happen in unrestricted fusion.

what I mean though is that magnetic inertial confinement fusion is likley far ahead compared to laser ignited fusion. Its also likley less likley to be weaponised as magnetic inertial confinement fusion cant be used to created a H bomb without the fusion laser though? It very possible. But laser has its useses in engine tec.

reply to post by crazyewok


I think I'm misunderstanding something, I thought the magnetics was just containment, not ignition and I thought lasers were the only way to ignite fusion. Confused now lol.

reply to post by Kali74

Solar and wind are viable and getting cheaper all the time. Fusion would be great for industrial and construction purposes though.

One when the sun shines, and the wind blows.

Fusion doesn't depend on the climate to work.

Whats not to like about a 'Mr Fusion' on cars, and homes like in 'Back to the Future'.

neo96
reply to post by Kali74

 

Solar and wind are viable and getting cheaper all the time. Fusion would be great for industrial and construction purposes though.

One when the sun shines, and the wind blows.

Fusion doesn't depend on the climate to work.

Whats not to like about a 'Mr Fusion' on cars, and homes like in 'Back to the Future'.

Theres some deveopments on the horzion for solar that will lower its cost and make it a lot more efficeient. It likley wont be usefull for industrial scale power but if you can decrease the cost and efficency? Why not if its cost effective?

Wind though? Likley will always be a POS.

Kali74
reply to post by crazyewok

 

I think I'm misunderstanding something, I thought the magnetics was just containment, not ignition and I thought lasers were the only way to ignite fusion. Confused now lol.

Nope.

You can ignite fuison buy accelerating atoms by useing magnetic fields or you can use lasers.

reply to post by crazyewok

Theres some deveopments on the horzion for solar that will lower its cost and make it a lot more efficeient.

Sure there are, and to think they will be shipped here from China.

Instead of being made here.

And them big fat alternative corporate subsidies will insure they are 'cheap'.

It likley wont be usefull for industrial scale power but if you can decrease the cost and efficency? W

Maybe in another hundred years because alternative doesn't deliever the 'bang for the buck' that fossils currently do.

That works 24/7 regardless of climate.

neo96

Sure there are, and to think they will be shipped here from China.

Instead of being made here.

And them big fat alternative corporate subsidies will insure they are 'cheap'.

So you forget it cause it comes from China Thats abit stupid. O by the way the development I was reading was from Austraila but I guess that too "foreign" for you.

neo96
Maybe in another hundred years because alternative doesn't deliever the 'bang for the buck' that fossils currently do.

1) Likley 10 years
2) You dont need "bang" for home energy. If solar power be made dirt cheap and provide the power for a home then why bother with fossil fuels unless you love burning money?

neo96
That works 24/7 regardless of climate.

It also runs out.

reply to post by crazyewok

1) Likley 10 years 2) You dont need "bang" for home energy. If solar power be made dirt cheap and provide the power for a home then why bother with fossil fuels unless you love burning money?

So like how totally awesome is solar/alternative energy when they are covered in foot plus snow and ice?

And when a tornado, and hurricanes rips them off their foundations.

Guess some people do love burning money.

Think the last month in the US should give everyone who supports alternative energy pause.

Because their 'energy' production is less during winter. If at all.

reply to post by neo96


I wasnt suggesting existing solar panels.

But if they can reduce the price like they hope to a few hundred dollers and increase there energy output? Why not? If you can be energy independant for 75% of the year for a few hundred $ then why not? why not have it support oil and hopefully soon fusion?

As for tornados? Well dont use them in a tornado zone!

What you issue you work in oil or somthing and scared at losing your job?

You want to ban and discourage all R&D in anything but oil?

reply to post by crazyewok

What you issue you work in oil or somthing and scared at losing your job?

The issue has already been explained.

Push a technology that doesn't depend on the climate to work.

Fusion delievers that just like Fossil Fuels.

You want to ban and discourage all R&D in anything but oil?

The issue is the failure of READING.

I would rather see this kind of technology get pushed than alternative.

That was said Here:

Ha, the JET lab is about 2 miles from my house and i have many friends there, time to give them a buzz and take a look around, see whats new

Thanks for the heads up

reply to post by crazyewok


You do realize that about 2/3 of the US is a tornado zone?

If ANY OTHER "new source of energy" had consumed the amount of money worldwide that fusion has and after 60 years is still "several years" away from being a viable technology we would all post here on ATS that it is a big giant con.

Nuclear (fusion) research is a mask for governments to pump money into nuclear (weapons) research. Wake up folks.

We already have a working nuclear fusion reactor that provides terrawatts of energy every single day. BUT humans (corporations and/or government) are too corrupt to tap that energy. Micro generation for every single home, every neighbourhood etc etc could easily meet our energy demands. NB we need a "battery". Even this has been solved. A battery does not need to have "duracell" printed on the side. A hollow mountain full of water is a battery !!!!!!!!!!

Governments narrowly think of huge massive generators (power stations) whereas the future is micro (self sufficient) generation.

Imagine if all the money invested in fusion had been used to provide vawts, solar cells, solar panels, insulation, triple glazing, hydro energy storage etc

crazyewok
Theres some deveopments on the horzion for solar that will lower its cost and make it a lot more efficeient. It likley wont be usefull for industrial scale power but if you can decrease the cost and efficency? Why not if its cost effective?

Wind though? Likley will always be a POS.

Seems logical that as more and more people's homes go with local solar receptacles and get taken off the grid so to speak there would seem to be ample amounts for Industry.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Well that's definitely the goal with solar, what's needed more than anything is storage capacity efficiency.