Nuclear fusion reaction releases almost twice the energy put in
Nuclear fusion reaction releases almost twice the energy put in
The US National Ignition Facility has achieved even higher energy yields since breaking even for the first time in 2022, but a practical fusion reactor is still a long way off
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At some point we'll be able to say: ...and thus, humanity created its first star.
...and accidentally incinerated its home world, as the supply dependant lunar colony could only look on in horror.
✨The End✨
I know you're joking, but nuclear fusion is inherently safe because if it breaks there is no way to sustain a chain reaction. And is only creates mildly radioactive byproducts. So you could blow it up and it wouldn't seriously contaminate the area.
Not only are the radioactive byproducts not that dangerous (everything is relative of course). But also they have incredibly short half lives so they go away long before the firefighters turned up.
Technically fission has a similar physical barrier to infinite meltdown. Once the water leaves the core, the reaction stops. It was called China Syndrome, and we wouldn't have worried about it at all, had the physicist that thought it up been a bit more competent with his math skills. Unfortunately, there are plenty of other ways that the reactors that we currently use can catastrophically fail.
Nah, the Earth doesn't have enough mass to become a star. If it did, it would already be one.
I mean, no, it also doesn't have enough hydrogen.
Everything's hydrogen if split enough ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But we’re talking fusion
When they do they should come up with some original quote.
"The power of the sun in the palm of my hand", something like that.
At least they won't be in danger of falling flat on the ground, halfway through their Big Words, due to muscle atrophy, the way every single other "first person on ______" is gonna have
"That's one small trip and fall for a human, one giant faceplant for mankind."
Melts Your Mouth, Not Your Hand
And directly started demanding money to use some of it.