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Science, uh Tuesday
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| MisterOpus1 |
The coming together of our world's brilliant science minds to build a fusion reactor is very encouraging news:
via DKos:
| quote: | Science's quest to find a cheap and inexhaustible way to meet global energy needs took a major step forward on Tuesday when a 30-nation consortium chose France to host the world's first nuclear fusion reactor.
After months of wrangling, France defeated a bid from Japan and signed a deal to site the 10-billion-euroexperimental reactor in Cadarache, near Marseille.
The project will seek to turn seawater into fuel by mimicking the way the sun produces energy. It would be cleaner than current nuclear reactors, would not rely on enriched uranium fuel or produce plutonium.
http://www.nytimes.com/auth/login?U...5Q2FJ,KxJI.Q51m!..BGJ!KQ3BBK!mJQ5EQ3CBK!Q3CQ5BBQ5E.Q3CQ5BPJQ5EQ3CBK!Q3CQ5BBQ5E.Q3CQ5BPQ7EKQ3CK!AsQ7EY!Q5BQ3CQ51KQ7EQ3CQ3BQ51PKQ5B!Q7B1BdP |
Now please, Dubya, don't with this one. There's a great deal of serious potential that could come this! |
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| shaolin_Z |
| This technology has existed for a while since I remember reading/hearing about it a while ago. Hopefully now it's in mainstream media? |
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| occrider |
| Damn you it's science Friday, FRIDAY!!!! |
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| kutvolkots |
Vacuumenergy is more eatable.
Appearantly you can boil earths oceans dry with the vacuumenergy contained in an empty cup of coffee. |
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| NeoPhono |
To bad this experimental reactor is suppossed to take decades to build...then it's given a 50/50 chance of being viable (producing more energy than it consumes).
Vacuum energy (aka Zero Point) is the stuff of science fiction right now, but maybe someday. (Resume watching Stargate)
Don't worry though, once the price of gas reaches $5.00+ per gallon in the US people will be screaming and science will shift its attention to energy. Then and only then will we make real headway in the coming energy pandemic. |
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| josh4 |
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
Don't worry though, once the price of gas reaches $5.00+ per gallon in the US people will be screaming and science will shift its attention to energy. Then and only then will we make real headway in the coming energy pandemic. |
the coming pandemic? by that time it might be too late! tooo lattee!! has everyone just ignored or forgotten about that huge power outage along the entire east coast like just two years ago?!!! |
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| NeoPhono |
| quote: | Originally posted by josh4
the coming pandemic? by that time it might be too late! tooo lattee!! has everyone just ignored or forgotten about that huge power outage along the entire east coast like just two years ago?!!! |
Uhm...that occurred due to human error and transmission line failure, not due to a lack of power. |
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| josh4 |
| quote: | Originally posted by NeoPhono
Uhm...that occurred due to human error and transmission line failure, not due to a lack of power. |
don't uhhmmm me you jackass. that first link wasnt very good heres a better one
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_N...merica_blackout
basically it happened because when one power grid failed (even if for human error) the others werent prepared or capable to handle the extra workload. we're reaching maximum capacity of our current energy capabilities. No? Build More Nuclear Power Plants, Bush Says
oh yeah, im sure they're completely unrelated
regardless the outage covered six states and parts of Canada. you can't just pass it off as "it was nothing, a moth flew into the computer, no big deal, back to work." |
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| NeoPhono |
Classy...and yes, a wiki is a wonderful source. :rolleyes:
| quote: |
basically it happened because when one power grid failed (even if for human error) the others werent prepared or capable to handle the extra workload. we're reaching maximum capacity of our current energy capabilities. No? |
You're right, we need better power networks and fail-safes. How again does this relate to a power shortage pandemic I alluded to that you seemed so upset about? Improving our power supply system and finding completely new power sources are two different topics. I'm not sure why you are confusing the two. |
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| DrUg_Tit0 |
I'm sure Bush is really pissed that the reactor is being built in France :D
Anyway, as far as the power outage, that did not happen because a lack of available resources. Yes, the powerlines failed because once the main lines failed, others weren't prepared to take an extra workload, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't enough energy available. It was just too expensive to build additional power plants that would be used once every 30 years. Building nuclear power plants now ensures a better supply for the long term future, and it's a good thing, but it's not like the US couldn't live on coal and gas powerplants for an additional decade or two. It's just that they're polluting and relying on more and more expensive foreign oil. So yes, those two really are unrelated. |
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| Moongoose |
| quote: | Originally posted by DrUg_Tit0
I'm sure Bush is really pissed that the reactor is being built in France :D |
You newer know whats going on in that demented mind of his. Maybe building a reactor in france was his plan all along. Then finaly when the thing is ready to run, send in some black ups to rig it to blow and BOOOM. No more french people to piss americans off, so the US world domination plan can continue :D |
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| trancaholic |
| ^^^ One of the fine properties of fusion energy is that it is a relatively safe source of energy. Even if you blow up the reactor the radioactive material is so short-lived that only few people would be harmed by it. So there's no chance of another Chernobyl. |
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