Post #30,774
3/4/02 9:19:28 PM
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Mr. Fusion is here?
[link|http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-03/aaft-fia030102.php|Tiny bubbles, in the lab, make me happy, make me feel fab]
Excerpt:
The dramatic flashing implosion of tiny bubbles--in
acetone containing deuterium atoms--produces tritium
and nuclear emissions similar to emissions characteristic
of nuclear fusion involving deuterium-deuterium
reactions. This finding was reported in the 8 March issue of
the peer-reviewed journal Science, published by the
American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Shock wave simulations also indicate that temperatures
inside the collapsing bubbles may reach up to 10 million
degrees Kelvin, as hot as the center of the sun. Although
the high temperatures and pressures within the bubbles
would be sufficient to generate fusion, the overall results
of the study only suggest, but do not confirm, nuclear
fusion in the bubbles' collapse.
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Truth is that which is the case. Accept no substitutes.
If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
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Post #30,776
3/4/02 10:06:16 PM
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At least it isn't *cold* fusion.
Alex
"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of
thought which they avoid." -- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
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Post #30,788
3/5/02 6:44:00 AM
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Aw, I was totally psyched
when cold fusion was announced. I still don't think it was meant as a hoax, though it may have been an observational anamoly that Pons and Fleishman never understood... I seem to remember that while nobody could duplicate thier results, there were 'oddities', though for the life of me I can't remember what they were. (I could be wrong - when nothing panned out I stopped paying attention to the 'scandal')
I hope this one goes further - fusion would solve a lot of problems, especially if it turned out to be relatively clean...
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #30,851
3/5/02 12:05:56 PM
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There were a couple of labs that said they duplicated
There was an Italian lab, I know, and I thought there were a couple of others who observed *something*. Explaining whatever that something was fell apart when more and more labs tried to duplicate it and couldn't.
The people in this particular experiment at least submitted it to Science and had some sort of review - but they still are making the mistake of not having independant duplication of the results.
Where each demon is slain, more hate is raised, yet hate unchecked also multiplies. - L. E. Modesitt
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Post #30,787
3/5/02 6:35:05 AM
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Not yet
But it seems to be a way more elegant approach than, say, Shiva, or magnetic bottle tokamaks.
Imric's Tips for Living- Paranoia Is a Survival Trait
- Pessimists are never disappointed - but sometimes, if they are very lucky, they can be pleasantly surprised...
- Even though everyone is out to get you, it doesn't matter unless you let them win.
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Post #30,871
3/5/02 12:56:36 PM
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Aw, poop
[link|http://physicsweb.org/article/news/6/3/4|Damn, this fusion stuff is hard]
Excerpt:
Physicists in the US claim to have observed nuclear fusion in a table-top experiment but their work has met a hostile reaction from other researchers. Rusi Taleyarkhan of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and colleagues stand by their claim that deuterium atoms fused to make tritium when gas bubbles in deuterated acetone collapsed to generate temperatures of millions of degrees in 'sonoluminescence' experiments (R Taleyarkhan et al 2002 Science 295 1868). But two other physicists at Oak Ridge have challenged the results after failing to reproduce them in a separate experiment. Taleyarkhan and co-workers in turn claim that the duo failed to calibrate their instruments properly. Other sonoluminescence researchers are sceptical, but they admit that the effect would be a major discovery if it proves to be real.
I say:
Whatever it is, it's nowhere near ready for beta.
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Truth is that which is the case. Accept no substitutes.
If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
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Post #30,885
3/5/02 1:36:26 PM
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Why the hostile reactions?
... their work has met a hostile reaction from other researchers.
I've never understood this. Okay, I understand wanting to be the guy who gets his name in the history books, or who the process is named after, or even the one who gets to cash in on the patent. But I can't imagine spending my life doing something like this and not being thrilled that someone made a breakthrough.
I can't be a Democrat because I like to spend the money I make.
I can't be a Republican because I like to spend the money I make on drugs and whores.
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Post #30,936
3/5/02 5:46:00 PM
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presumably `coz they can't reproduce the result.
Maybe they're not doing it right, or maybe it just doesn't really work. If the former, then the technique is not ready for prime time. If the latter, it's cold fusion all over again.
Reproducibility is really, really important. I'd be testy too if I were in their place.
But then, I can't entirely rule out the wounded ego interpretation. That happens, too.
[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html|http://www.angelfir...e/index.html]
Truth is that which is the case. Accept no substitutes.
If competence is considered "hubris" then may I and my country always be as "arrogant" as we can possibly manage.
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Post #30,966
3/6/02 12:13:38 AM
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Re: Why the hostile reactions?
Probably because they think not enough is known about what is happening (i.e. it's premature to make such a claim) and potentially a waste of time for others who want to verify results.
Also, the energy required to make it work exceeded the energy generated.
Alex
"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of
thought which they avoid." -- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855)
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Post #31,531
3/10/02 12:24:11 PM
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Hostile reactions == Science
That's the way it works.
The new guys show off some fancy effect.
The old guys say, "No way! They're full of shit!"
The whole thing gets polarized.
Then (important difference with politics) lots and lots of various other people, on both sides, go out and try it. Over time, they either succeed or don't. Either way, we decide from the resulting evidence which view is closer to the "truth", which in this case means a direct correspondence with the physical Universe. (Note that another difference is that scientists have a whole set of euphemisms they can use to disagree violently with one another without generating a lot of hate and discontent. "That turns out not to be the case" is science-speak for "This idiot is so full of shit his hair smells." Civility is important.)
This is why turning science into intellectual property is such a vile thing, even for the people who plan on profiting from it. Discoveries that turn out to be bogus -- which happens more often than not -- are going to cost the patentholders and trade secret protectors a lot more, over time, than they're gonna make out of their proud new babies, because they won't have armies of folks checking their work for airholes.
I have no opinion on this, except to say it would be nice if it panned out. It's 'way too early to tell whether it's physics or bullshit.
Regards,
Ric
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Post #31,006
3/6/02 9:55:00 AM
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Re: it's nowhere near ready for beta.
That would mean we'll have Microsoft Fusion on the store shelves next week.
Brian Bronson
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