SalamendaciousJapan sets new nuclear fusion record
rockSlayerIf we could harness the heat from nuclear fusion here on Earth, we could use it to generate electricity on-demand without worrying about carbon emissions, nuclear waste, or running out of fuel
I don’t want to detract from this exciting milestone. Fusion is an absolute requirement for the complete end of our reliance on fossil fuels and there are no problems significant enough to warrant the end to fusion experiments. However, this statement is definitely not true with tokamak reactors. They typically use deuterium and tritium for fuel, which are limited resources. Fusion reactions are far more difficult with other light elemental isotopes. These reactors also use beryllium as shielding, which is a carcinogen. When the shielding needs to be replaced, it actually is radioactive.
Those are entirely accurate facts, but those downsides are absolutely dwarfed by the upsides to the technology’s potential. It’s like getting your own spaceship, then pointing out that it lacks cup holders.
I agree, fusion reactors will absolutely revolutionize everything, and even if we can’t do better than tomamak reactors, these problems are still pretty mild. I just expect more from scientific journalism
Fusion is a very long term goal and I’m sure they are careful to not tarnish its image.
But yes sadly the first commercial fusion reactors probably won’t be sustainable but once they are a reality investment into the technology will be much greater and hopefully cleaner fuels will become a reality.
it may be that the author knew that if that was included their work would be used by your ben shapiro types to proclaim that fusion reactors create substances that are both carcinogenic AND radioactive!!! and can site their article. not saying thats the case, but I could understand such reasoning
I think you are severely overstating the level of knowledge of most journalists. Most science reporting to the public goes like this: journalist hears something, contacts a single scientist in the field, or is contacted by a single scientist. They talk to that person for a few minutes, then write their article. That’s being generous, many simply copy press releases and add their own interpretation.
There are only a handful of decent scientific reporting agencies targeting the public that actually do a good job.
I remember about 15 years ago I did a school report on fusion power. I remember there was another model than the tokamak that was more complex to set up but had other advantages going for it. Think it was called the stellaradiator or something. Has it been a developmental dead end?
A_A
Ah yeah that’s the one. Thanks
RubberElectronsNo, there are several companies working on it.
W7x is the latest stellarator to come online, but there’s a new Princeton University startup called Thea doing all the complex geometry and control problems of a stellarator in software.
It’s a neat and elegant idea, engineering-wise. And no matter whose strategy works out, we all win in terms of understanding plasma physics, and possibly unlocking the secrets of the universe.