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Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

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Re: Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

#53

Post by gabrielblack »

I read then link to the other article explaining the new technologies developed by Helion that should permit commercially viable fusion reactors, there are no words about Q plasma or Q total:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ4W1g-6JiY&t=5s

so the affirmation that "Nuclear Fusion Is Close Enough to Start Dreaming" could be other speculation of the press not supported by facts. Obviously I hope to be wrong.

Re: Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

#56

Post by marginalia_nu »

rmbyrro wrote: post #48
marginalia_nu wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We had electric cars 130 years ago.

Exactly. Just like we have fusion for decades. As fusion isn't practical, electric cars were not practical mass mean of transportation until very recently.

Electric cars have always been doable, they've just been more expensive than fossile fuel alternative which is ostensibly free energy. The situations are not at all comparable. Nuclear Fusion has still barely been demonstrated as a proof-of-concept.

Re: Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

#57

Post by [deleted] »

Smaug123 wrote: post #28
junga wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this still an issue when fusion power is available?

No, but the parent to my comment implied trees as being the source of that fusion power. Nobody's going to be able to use trees to power the desalination plants that allow us to irrigate the land so that we can grow those trees.

[deleted]

Re: Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

#58

Post by Shadonototra »

dang wrote: post #52

Recent and related: Helion - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29119180 - Nov 2021 (249 comments)

Just for general information, YCombinator is an investor of that particular "new" company.

Nuclear fusion isn't a new thing, many already established companies are working on it, making the headline and focus on this particular one is disingenuous, to say the least

https://www.helionenergy.com/who-we-are/

Re: Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

#59

Post by gus_massa »

imaginary_unit wrote: post #54

Well, at least this physicist has a completely different opinion on how far nuclear fusion is away: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJ4W1g-6JiY

That video is about the ITER that is designed using the tokamak model. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokamak

The device proposed by Helion is very different. I think they are overoptimistic, but anyway the analysis of the video is not applicable.

Re: Nuclear fusion is close enough to start dreaming

#60

Post by civilized »

wittycardio wrote: post #39
civilized wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know, we might need technology to save us from our seemingly bottomless stupidity. Maybe in 2050, Robo-Joe Manchin will secure a permanent government slush fund for Greater West Virginia coal mining and we'll have to stick a fusion-powered CO2 capture facility right next to where they burn it.

Don't disagree but we are already at the stage where we have the technology to solve climate change , what we have is a problem of status quo-ism

I just don't know if we should firmly say "we have enough technology so now the only problem is how to make humans amenable to radical change". It's frustrating but maybe "more technology" is a more practical path that can still get us to the same place.
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