World's largest laser fires up for attempt to build new star
12 posts
• Page 1 of 2 • 1, 2
Thu Apr 29, 2010 3:56 pm » by Nickelson
SCIENTISTS are using the world's largest laser in an attempt to build a star on Earth.
Creating a tiny sun will be "like watching the Wright Brothers fly", scientists say. Picture: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The laser at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is roughly the size of three American football fields, and those in charge of it aren't joking when they say they'll create a tiny sun in the next few months.
It's called the National Ignition Facility and it's all about finding the holy grail of energy production - nuclear fusion - a high-energy reaction that would theoretically provide limitless energy for humanity.
In a nutshell, the laboratory hopes to split its laser beam up into 192 beams, then fire them at a tiny target wrapped in gold that's smaller than a fingernail.
Nerd alert - inside the target there's a couple of reactive hydrogen isotopes, so you know what comes next.
The heat from the laser will fuse those isotopes together in reaction that at 100 million degrees Celsius, more than five times hotter than the centre of the sun.
There is a slight radioactive danger, but the lab has encased the facility in concrete walls that are two metres thick, just in case.
But the payoff is that if the isotopes fuse, the tiny star will emit enough energy to power the Earth.
That is, for the 200 trillionths of a second that it survives.
"It's the most fundamental energy source in nature," project manager Bruno Van Wonterghem told CNN.
The only fuel it requires is seawater, the source of the aforementioned isotopes.
If it's successful, the laboratory hopes the project, which has so far been five years in development and cost more than $2 billion, will deliver useable outcomes within 20 years.
"This is something you're going to tell your grandchildren about," Mr Van Wonterghem told CNN.
"It's like standing on the hill watching the Wright brothers' plane go by."
Source:
NEWS
WTF?
Creating a tiny sun will be "like watching the Wright Brothers fly", scientists say. Picture: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
The laser at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is roughly the size of three American football fields, and those in charge of it aren't joking when they say they'll create a tiny sun in the next few months.
It's called the National Ignition Facility and it's all about finding the holy grail of energy production - nuclear fusion - a high-energy reaction that would theoretically provide limitless energy for humanity.
In a nutshell, the laboratory hopes to split its laser beam up into 192 beams, then fire them at a tiny target wrapped in gold that's smaller than a fingernail.
Nerd alert - inside the target there's a couple of reactive hydrogen isotopes, so you know what comes next.
The heat from the laser will fuse those isotopes together in reaction that at 100 million degrees Celsius, more than five times hotter than the centre of the sun.
There is a slight radioactive danger, but the lab has encased the facility in concrete walls that are two metres thick, just in case.
But the payoff is that if the isotopes fuse, the tiny star will emit enough energy to power the Earth.
That is, for the 200 trillionths of a second that it survives.
"It's the most fundamental energy source in nature," project manager Bruno Van Wonterghem told CNN.
The only fuel it requires is seawater, the source of the aforementioned isotopes.
If it's successful, the laboratory hopes the project, which has so far been five years in development and cost more than $2 billion, will deliver useable outcomes within 20 years.
"This is something you're going to tell your grandchildren about," Mr Van Wonterghem told CNN.
"It's like standing on the hill watching the Wright brothers' plane go by."
Source:
NEWS
WTF?
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:02 pm » by Nickelson
demobe wrote:WTF?
That's some crazy shit isn't it? They now want to play God themselves.
What will happen next, creating tiny humanoids to go with that, so we've got a tiny solar system in our backyard?
Freaks!
- Lordblake7
- Posts: 123
- Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 2:50 am
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:03 pm » by Lordblake7
I do worry about what scientists are doing,all those crazy things. But what the hell,if i was on the same team i would also be doing crazy things. I would love to be a mad scientist.
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:05 pm » by Mob 2,0
nickelson wrote:demobe wrote:WTF?
That's some crazy shit isn't it? They now want to play God themselves.
What will happen next, creating tiny humanoids to go with that, so we've got a tiny solar system in our backyard?
Freaks!
man this thing just keep getting better and better daaaaaaam.
this blow me off. really crazy stuff good topic nickelson
There is no greater victory than to fall from this world a free man
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:05 pm » by Dtnelis
i read another article that said it could take up to a year- to 2 years to get approval or something.
also this just proves how much weve been lied to when it comes to our technological advancements. i woudlnt doubt if we were able to do this in the 60s. its just strange how from out of nowhere we can make stars in a few months...
oh but this is an AMAZINGLY GOOD thing. not only will our energy problems be gone. but we will be able to scale it down to size. they said its smaller then a fingernail and produces the power of a STAR. i cant wait to see what happens in the next 10 years, were in for a hell of a ride!
also this just proves how much weve been lied to when it comes to our technological advancements. i woudlnt doubt if we were able to do this in the 60s. its just strange how from out of nowhere we can make stars in a few months...
oh but this is an AMAZINGLY GOOD thing. not only will our energy problems be gone. but we will be able to scale it down to size. they said its smaller then a fingernail and produces the power of a STAR. i cant wait to see what happens in the next 10 years, were in for a hell of a ride!
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:08 pm » by Dtnelis
nickelson wrote:demobe wrote:WTF?
That's some crazy shit isn't it? They now want to play God themselves.
What will happen next, creating tiny humanoids to go with that, so we've got a tiny solar system in our backyard?
Freaks!
holy shit weve just made our own dimension if this happens
- Beerthirty
-
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 9:17 am
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:13 pm » by Beerthirty
Not trying to be a buzzkill, but how exactly will it solve our energy problems? Will we have fusion reactors all over the world? Who will own them, how much will they charge us to "plug in" to the grid? Seems to me we will still have the same problems of cost and distribution that we have now. Maby not, maby they will put the plans online so we can build our own for the home and car. 
Everyone believes in something, I believe I'll have another beer.
Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:21 pm » by Dtnelis
beerthirty wrote:Not trying to be a buzzkill, but how exactly will it solve our energy problems? Will we have fusion reactors all over the world? Who will own them, how much will they charge us to "plug in" to the grid? Seems to me we will still have the same problems of cost and distribution that we have now. Maby not, maby they will put the plans online so we can build our own for the home and car.
true but hopefully we can not depend on natural resources anymore. thats a huge step in the right direction
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