Fusion in California

Robert McKnight

4-3-09

9:16 AM

The world's largest LASER designed to create a FUSION reaction was just unveiled at a center in California.  Almost 200 super powered laser beams arranged in a spherical formation will be focused on a target point at the center, generating temperatures in excess of 100,000,000 degrees.  The facility hopes to prove that nuclear fusion can be controlled and utilized to solve the world's energy needs.  

"One gallon of seawater would provide the equivalent energy of 300 gallons of gasoline,  Fuel from 50 cups of water contains the energy equivalent to two tons of coal," so they say.  No greenhouse gasses, less radioactive waste than fission plants.  

Scientists intend to create a reaction that generates more energy than is required to power the lasers.  Their goal is at least 10% return on energy.  Also, the steam produced from the tremendous heat could be used in a traditional hydrothermal way.

The first official test is next month.

Pretty serious.  Fusion lasers.  It'd be great if it really worked!  Perpetual energy from a bit of water sounds pretty good to me.  Too good to be true..?  We'll see.  

I hope the place doesn't blow up the first time they light up those lasers next month and fry half of California.  You'd figure that the people in charge wouldn't allow for even that possibility, but that's still crazy.  I guess crazy times call for crazy actions.    

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