US DOE - Fusion Ignition

JP4CY

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Testifying
I've been semi following as this news was slowly leaking. Sounds like they need it to be replicated at much smaller coats.
 

BanjoCy

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I'll have to read more about it, I'm not really familiar with the recent history of it... mostly have just been hearing about the occasional hoax here and there over the past couple decades.
 

madguy30

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Know someone who's in grad school at the UW and is somehow involved with the research involved in this stuff.

It would be a big deal if it got legs.

From what I understand, it could have been done a long ago and a big challenge will be if the concept is allowed to 'breathe' to its potential.
 

HFCS

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Know someone who's in grad school at the UW and is somehow involved with the research involved in this stuff.

It would be a big deal if it got legs.

From what I understand, it could have been done a long ago and a big challenge will be if the concept is allowed to 'breathe' to its potential.
I tried to look up if there’s a way for avg Joe to invest early and seems like not really yet other than some abstract ways.
 
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Williowa

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In real...practical terms, this achievement is so ridiculously small and underwhelming, it really doesn't belong in anything but academic papers, not news.

Hate to be a fusion hater, but when you know the full story...its just sad this is "big"
 

Clonehomer

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From what I've read and heard about it, this sounds to have more impact in advancement of weaponry than power production. The process that they went about it with lasers makes it difficult to make a constant reaction rather than just a quick single burst. While cool, it isn't the game changer that many are hoping it to be.

While an incredibly cool scientific success, I'm not sure that we're all that much closer to that "unlimited clean power" that many news outlets are making this out to be.
 

HFCS

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In real...practical terms, this achievement is so ridiculously small and underwhelming, it really doesn't belong in anything but academic papers, not news.

Hate to be a fusion hater, but when you know the full story...its just sad this is "big"

Try to enlighten us. Seriously, not being a jerk. We’re not all nuclear physicists but we are mostly college grads.

I’ve read 3-4 stories about it, what was I missing that makes this an impossible tech for even another few hundred years? Maybe I’m an oddball for caring about the human race after I’m gone. It’s not like I’m expecting it next year.
 

clone52

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I've been semi following as this news was slowly leaking. Sounds like they need it to be replicated at much smaller coats.
Smaller costs and much larger scale. Probably decades away from commercial use, but my kids might get to see it.
 
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stormchaser2014

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keepngoal

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Smaller costs and much larger scale. Probably decades away from commercial use, but my kids might get to see it.
Probably a dumb question. Couldn’t this be done at every household level, or to volatile / to much maintenance?
 

AuH2O

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From what I've read and heard about it, this sounds to have more impact in advancement of weaponry than power production. The process that they went about it with lasers makes it difficult to make a constant reaction rather than just a quick single burst. While cool, it isn't the game changer that many are hoping it to be.

While an incredibly cool scientific success, I'm not sure that we're all that much closer to that "unlimited clean power" that many news outlets are making this out to be.
Yes, I think I’m terms of power this could be a step, but there’s probably a missing link to get to something that’s truly a power game changer.
I’m always a little cynical because compared to University/private research the DOE national labs do way less for WAY more money.

I have presented projects at DOE project review meetings , and it’s the same thing every time. Their external panels usually torch the DOE labs because they have a ton of massively expensive projects that go nowhere.

So I think this is good research, but the opportunity cost to fund DOE labs is massive.
 
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Jer

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I’m not even remotely qualified to say much on this topic. But it seems like even if on a small scale, proof of concept process that the fact they netted more energy than they put in would move the needle a bit. Maybe not a game changer, but that in itself is an accomplishment not previously done and one that many doubted could ever be done. Scientific processes sometimes take ages and a million small advancements add up.