Science Scientists Say Their Giant Laser Has Produced Nuclear Fusion

**Donger** · 02-12-2014, 03:15 PM

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...nuclear-fusion

Researchers at a laboratory in California say they've had a breakthrough in producing fusion power with a giant laser. The success comes after years of struggling to get the laser to work and is another step in the decades-long quest for fusion energy.

Omar Hurricane, a researcher at , says that for the first time, they've produced significant amounts of fusion by zapping a target with their laser. "We've gotten more energy out of the fusion fuel than we put into the fusion fuel," he says.

Strictly speaking, while more energy came from fusion than went into the hydrogen fuel, only about 1 percent of the laser's energy ever reached the fuel. Useful levels of fusion are still a long way off. "They didn't get more fusion power out than they put in with the laser," says , the head of a huge fusion experiment in the U.K. called the , or JET.

The laser is known as the , or NIF. Constructed at a cost of more than $3 billion, it consists of 192 beams that take up the length of three football fields. For a brief moment, the beams can focus 500 trillion watts of power — more power than is being used in that same time across the entire United States — onto a target about the width of a No. 2 pencil.

The goal is fusion: a process where hydrogen atoms are squeezed together to make helium atoms. When that happens, a lot of energy comes out. It could mean the answer to the world's energy problems, but fusion is really, really hard to do. Hurricane says that each time they try, it feels like they're taking a test.

"Of course you want to score real well, you think you've learned the material, but you just have to see how you do," he says.

Over the past few years, For all its power, it just couldn't get the hydrogen to fuse, and researchers didn't know why. The failures have led NIF's critics to label the facility an enormous waste of taxpayer dollars. In 2012, the government shifted NIF away from its fusion goals to focus on its other mission: .

But the fusion experiments continued, and Hurricane says researchers now understand why their original strategy wasn't working. In the journal Nature, that they've finally figured out how to squeeze the fuel with the lasers. By doing a lot of squeezing right at the start, they were able to keep the fuel from churning and squirting out. The lasers squeezed evenly and the hydrogen turned into helium.

The new technique can't reach "ignition," which is the point at which the hydrogen fusion feeds on itself to make more. Even so, JET's Cowley says, this is still a big moment for NIF.

"I think it's still a very important step forward, they reached fusion conditions, they made some fusion happen, and that's not been done before [with a laser]," he says.

Hurricane says no one knows for sure whether NIF can really reach the point of ignition. "It's not up to me; it's up to Mother Nature," he says. "But we're certainly going to try."

Grim · 02-12-2014, 03:17 PM

they're a bunch of ****ing liars.

BlackHelicopters · 02-12-2014, 03:18 PM

Will never happen

Kiimo · 02-12-2014, 03:18 PM

Lazlo Hollyfeld hates this.

**Donger** · 02-12-2014, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grim

they're a bunch of ****ing liars.

Why do you say that?

Big Poppa Payne · 02-12-2014, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grim

they're a bunch of ****ing liars.

DJJasonp · 02-12-2014, 03:24 PM

But the real question is.....can they attach their giant laser to a shark?

PornChief · 02-12-2014, 03:26 PM

Omar Hurricane is the best name ever

VAChief · 02-12-2014, 03:29 PM

Saw this in the WSJ today, pretty cool.

VAChief · 02-12-2014, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Will never happen

Because...?

Grim · 02-12-2014, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

Why do you say that?

They're on the verge of losing funding for their project. They'll say anything to keep that funding. Seen it dozens of times.

If I read that they're able to document and reproduce their results, then I'll back off a bit. Until that time, I call BS.

tk13 · 02-12-2014, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PornChief

Omar Hurricane is the best name ever

Sounds like an 80's action movie. WESLEY SNIPES... IS OMAR HURRICANE... IN EXPENDABLES 8, THIS SUMMER.

**Donger** · 02-12-2014, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grim

They're on the verge of losing funding for their project. They'll say anything to keep that funding. Seen it dozens of times.

If I read that they're able to document and reproduce their results, then I'll back off a bit. Until that time, I call BS.

Yes, that's true. That happened back in October, IIRC. They are still a LONG way from ignition, but I still think it should be funded.

Dayze · 02-12-2014, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PornChief

Omar Hurricane is the best name ever

or a good Porn name.

Fish · 02-12-2014, 04:27 PM

Donger, when you copied and pasted, you accidentally redacted a bunch of text that was formatted as links. Made it kinda funny to read....

02-12-2014, 03:15 PM
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $6849900 VARSITY	Scientists Say Their Giant Laser Has Produced Nuclear Fusion http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/...nuclear-fusion Researchers at a laboratory in California say they've had a breakthrough in producing fusion power with a giant laser. The success comes after years of struggling to get the laser to work and is another step in the decades-long quest for fusion energy. Omar Hurricane, a researcher at , says that for the first time, they've produced significant amounts of fusion by zapping a target with their laser. "We've gotten more energy out of the fusion fuel than we put into the fusion fuel," he says. Strictly speaking, while more energy came from fusion than went into the hydrogen fuel, only about 1 percent of the laser's energy ever reached the fuel. Useful levels of fusion are still a long way off. "They didn't get more fusion power out than they put in with the laser," says , the head of a huge fusion experiment in the U.K. called the , or JET. The laser is known as the , or NIF. Constructed at a cost of more than $3 billion, it consists of 192 beams that take up the length of three football fields. For a brief moment, the beams can focus 500 trillion watts of power — more power than is being used in that same time across the entire United States — onto a target about the width of a No. 2 pencil. The goal is fusion: a process where hydrogen atoms are squeezed together to make helium atoms. When that happens, a lot of energy comes out. It could mean the answer to the world's energy problems, but fusion is really, really hard to do. Hurricane says that each time they try, it feels like they're taking a test. "Of course you want to score real well, you think you've learned the material, but you just have to see how you do," he says. Over the past few years, For all its power, it just couldn't get the hydrogen to fuse, and researchers didn't know why. The failures have led NIF's critics to label the facility an enormous waste of taxpayer dollars. In 2012, the government shifted NIF away from its fusion goals to focus on its other mission: . But the fusion experiments continued, and Hurricane says researchers now understand why their original strategy wasn't working. In the journal Nature, that they've finally figured out how to squeeze the fuel with the lasers. By doing a lot of squeezing right at the start, they were able to keep the fuel from churning and squirting out. The lasers squeezed evenly and the hydrogen turned into helium. The new technique can't reach "ignition," which is the point at which the hydrogen fusion feeds on itself to make more. Even so, JET's Cowley says, this is still a big moment for NIF. "I think it's still a very important step forward, they reached fusion conditions, they made some fusion happen, and that's not been done before [with a laser]," he says. Hurricane says no one knows for sure whether NIF can really reach the point of ignition. "It's not up to me; it's up to Mother Nature," he says. "But we're certainly going to try."
Posts: 191,037

02-12-2014, 03:17 PM	#2
Grim Starter Join Date: Aug 2012 Casino cash: $-190000	they're a bunch of ****ing liars.
Posts: 716

02-12-2014, 03:18 PM	#3
BlackHelicopters Spiraling down the Drain Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Dante's Ninth Circle Casino cash: $-779412	Will never happen __________________ "We're both part of the same hypocrisy, Senator, but never think it applies to my family." "Fredo. You are my brother, and I love you. But never take sides against the Family again. Ever." 2019 Adopt a Chief - Travis Kelce #87
Posts: 33,301

02-12-2014, 03:18 PM	#4
Kiimo MVP Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Studio City, CA Casino cash: $1938742	Lazlo Hollyfeld hates this.
Posts: 13,884

02-12-2014, 03:24 PM	#7
DJJasonp My work speaks for itself!!! Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: So Cal Casino cash: $-1764800	But the real question is.....can they attach their giant laser to a shark? __________________ Its easier to fool a man, than to convince a man he's been fooled.
Posts: 13,921

02-12-2014, 03:26 PM	#8
PornChief Starter Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Australia Casino cash: $10005180	Omar Hurricane is the best name ever
Posts: 590

02-12-2014, 03:29 PM	#9
VAChief Comfortably Numb Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Virginia Casino cash: $2234657	Saw this in the WSJ today, pretty cool.
Posts: 5,856

02-12-2014, 04:27 PM	#15
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $-1311081	Donger, when you copied and pasted, you accidentally redacted a bunch of text that was formatted as links. Made it kinda funny to read.... __________________
Posts: 48,828

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode