Nuclear Fusion: Possible?

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Yes. I dont want to see if be the main sorce of energy needs.

Why don't you?

[Arthropoda Ingens]

As for nuclear fusion as a means of generating electricity? I think it will always be "20 years in the future" because the science has reached a dead-end and we simply will never beable to break the laws of physics enough to make it a sustainable, positive-energy source.

Wat? We don't have to break any laws of physics for it.

We can achieve contained fusion just fine. It just fizzles out since we can't yet contain the plasma efficiently enough - it contacts the reactor walls, heat is transferred, plasma cools, fusion reaction stops.

Our sole problem is to contain the plasma in a more efficient fashion. It's merely a technical question. An engineering problem. 'tis all.

[Seishin no Ryuu]

As for nuclear fusion as a means of generating electricity? I think it will always be "20 years in the future" because the science has reached a dead-end and we simply will never beable to break the laws of physics enough to make it a sustainable, positive-energy source.

Wat? We don't have to break any laws of physics for it.

We can achieve contained fusion just fine. It just fizzles out since we can't yet contain the plasma efficiently enough - it contacts the reactor walls, heat is transferred, plasma cools, fusion reaction stops.

Our sole problem is to contain the plasma in a more efficient fashion. It's merely a technical question. An engineering problem. 'tis all.

That's why scientists are trying to achieve Cold Fusion.

[New Kereptica]

As for nuclear fusion as a means of generating electricity? I think it will always be "20 years in the future" because the science has reached a dead-end and we simply will never beable to break the laws of physics enough to make it a sustainable, positive-energy source.

Wat? We don't have to break any laws of physics for it.

We can achieve contained fusion just fine. It just fizzles out since we can't yet contain the plasma efficiently enough - it contacts the reactor walls, heat is transferred, plasma cools, fusion reaction stops.

Our sole problem is to contain the plasma in a more efficient fashion. It's merely a technical question. An engineering problem. 'tis all.

That's why scientists are trying to achieve Cold Fusion.

And failing.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

That's why scientists are trying to achieve Cold Fusion.

No, scientists gave up on that idea a long tie ago.

[United Russian State]

Yes. I dont want to see if be the main sorce of energy needs.

Why don't you?

A larg portion of world economies are already based on our current engrey scorces. Nuclear fusion would mess them up this up. We already have a relbile engery scorce and it's cheap.

[Buffett and Colbert]

For those of you who don't really know what I'm talking about please reference this page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_fusion#Locally_cold_fusion

Quoted for irony.

[New Kereptica]

Yes. I dont want to see if be the main sorce of energy needs.

Why don't you?

A larg portion of world economies are already based on our current engrey scorces. Nuclear fusion would mess them up this up. We already have a relbile engery scorce and it's cheap.

And so terribly finite.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

A larg portion of world economies are already based on our current engrey scorces. Nuclear fusion would mess them up this up. We already have a relbile engery scorce and it's cheap.

You do realize that oil will run out eventually, don't you? What should we do, wait until the last minute, when oil finally runs out, or slowly and gradually transition to other forms of energy?

[United Russian State]

A larg portion of world economies are already based on our current engrey scorces. Nuclear fusion would mess them up this up. We already have a relbile engery scorce and it's cheap.

You do realize that oil will run out eventually, don't you? What should we do, wait until the last minute, when oil finally runs out, or slowly and gradually transition to other forms of energy?

Key word being eventually. I am not really worried since that won't happen for at least over 100 years. We can wait a little.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

that won't happen for at least over 100 years.

[Citation Needed]

[New Kereptica]

A larg portion of world economies are already based on our current engrey scorces. Nuclear fusion would mess them up this up. We already have a relbile engery scorce and it's cheap.

You do realize that oil will run out eventually, don't you? What should we do, wait until the last minute, when oil finally runs out, or slowly and gradually transition to other forms of energy?

Key word being eventually. I am not really worried since that won't happen for at least over 100 years. We can wait a little.

Do you realize how much shit will go down when it actually does run out? Why not bypass that, and put research into other forms of energy now?

[Kwangistar]

When oil starts to become expensive enough that we need a big shift to other energy sources, it will become economically viable to develop these sources. It's not like fusion power is going to be fueling cars and planes anyway.

[Seishin no Ryuu]

That's why scientists are trying to achieve Cold Fusion.

No, scientists gave up on that idea a long tie ago.

Oh, I never heard any official statement saying they did

[New Kereptica]

When oil starts to become expensive enough that we need a big shift to other energy sources, it will become economically viable to develop these sources. It's not like fusion power is going to be fueling cars and planes anyway.

No, but I'd bet the electricity generated from nuclear fusion will.

[Seishin no Ryuu]

When oil starts to become expensive enough that we need a big shift to other energy sources, it will become economically viable to develop these sources. It's not like fusion power is going to be fueling cars and planes anyway.

From what I know, it is safer than nuclear fission, so why not power cars and planes with it?

[New Kereptica]

That's why scientists are trying to achieve Cold Fusion.

No, scientists gave up on that idea a long tie ago.

Oh, I never heard any official statement saying they did

Oh? What about the one from Edison saying he gave up nationwide DC power?

[Seishin no Ryuu]

No, scientists gave up on that idea a long tie ago.

Oh, I never heard any official statement saying they did

Oh? What about the one from Edison saying he gave up nationwide DC power?

I don't believe Edison said anything about Cold Fusion.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

Oh, I never heard any official statement saying they did

I don't know as there's an official statement, but pretty much all respected physicists take it to be bullshit at this point.

[Seishin no Ryuu]

Oh, I never heard any official statement saying they did

I don't know as there's an official statement, but pretty much all respected physicists take it to be bullshit at this point.

So they aren't saying it's impossible, just not feasible at this time.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

So they aren't saying it's impossible, just not feasible at this time.

No, they pretty much don't think it's possible physically, at all. It kinda doesn't fit very well with those pesky laws of thermodynamics.

[Seishin no Ryuu]

So they aren't saying it's impossible, just not feasible at this time.

No, they pretty much don't think it's possible physically, at all. It kinda doesn't fit very well with those pesky laws of thermodynamics.

So those scientists that pursue it are like those who look for tachyons and gravitons?

[Dolbri]

So they aren't saying it's impossible, just not feasible at this time.

No, they pretty much don't think it's possible physically, at all. It kinda doesn't fit very well with those pesky laws of thermodynamics.

I would just like to point out that achieving cold nuclear fusion is possible, but that it is probably impossible to get net energy production out of it. Could help the discussion to make that distinction.

[UnhealthyTruthseeker]

So those scientists that pursue it are like those who look for tachyons and gravitons?

Gravitons are many orders of magnitude more plausible than tachyons.

[Seishin no Ryuu]

So those scientists that pursue it are like those who look for tachyons and gravitons?

Gravitons are many orders of magnitude more plausible than tachyons.

I agree, but are the scientists researching cold fusion on the same level as those looking for tachyons?