this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2024
156 points (89.0% liked)

Technology

57997 readers
2848 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each another!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed

Approved Bots


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Clean energy could be 'closer than ever' after a nuclear fusion machine smashed a record::JET's final nuclear fusion experiment produced a record-breaking 69 megajoules of heat. Nice.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 3 points 7 months ago (3 children)

Tokamaks... sigh.

When it finally works, you will have invented the most expensive form of energy we've ever imagined. Congratulations.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm excited for fusion. Fusion has some amazing potential as a power source and propulsion for space ships. But outside of that application, I don't know... I'm pissemistic. I do not think it will be the global energy revolution so many people seem to think it will be. It will not be unlimited cheap energy, not be a longshot.

[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

its gonna be unlimited expensive energy, which is a start.

except we needed a start 20 years ago, not now lol

[–] Cocodapuf@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Is it unlimited though? I mean sure, the fuel is abundant, we have hydrogen. But the other support materials are quite limited, berillium, helium, nuclear engineers. I don't think we have enough of all of that for an energy revolution.

[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

There are several other topologies with promise. But even a tokamak can use its first wall latent heat to turn the archaic steam turbine.

While I also have low expectations for plasma density in tokamaks, they're able to keep plasma at fusion temperatures for minutes at a time.

[–] DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.ml -4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Because you don't understand shit. This can be made self sufficient and eternally run.

[–] Jimmyeatsausage@lemmy.world 1 points 7 months ago

And if there's one thing we've all learned, it's that if it's cheap to make, the trillionaire owners won't overcharge for it.

Yes, I think we'll have trillionaires first.