Just found this article about the British project. It is certain that the experimental trials will continue. . .

Set the controls for the heart of the Sun



dailymail

I've no doubt about that. It's amazing how much faith these scientists have. Or they may be just angling to get funding to spend on their favourite experiment.

I hope such investment comes to something but, given the length of time until some kind of result, I fear that it will come too late, if it comes at all. Overall, I still think it is a waste of money and resources.

But billions of pounds is such a small price to pray if it does work. It could give Britain the upper hand to finally succeed in taking over the world.

Hah! The trouble is twofold, to my mind. It may well come to nothing and so it would be billions of wasted pounds (and who knows how many more billions will be poured into it, if there is the slightest whiff of some success). Also, there is probably no need for it. An attempt to produce energy on this scale is an attempt, surely, to continue business as usual for as long as possible. Although energy does, to some degree, prolong resource lifetimes, we still live on a finite planet with all the boundaries that that implies; we could probably live fulfilling sustainable lives without nearly as much energy as we use now, never mind virtually limitless energy that nuclear fusion could, in principle, provide.

Tony, I know the following project has been discussed elsewhere on this board. I want to mention it here because the project leader claims he will know by 2015 whether it will work or not.

Polywell Proton Boron fusion reactor approved



dailykos

I do wonder if fusion hopes are on par with the whole imagined Jetsons future, with domed cities and flying cars everywhere.

That is not science fact now and probably won't be science fact in the future, and I think fusion is not science fiction but fantasy, like Lord of the Rings or Labyrinth.

We're about as likely to see the return of King Arthur as the practical implementation of fusion in our lifetimes, let alone before peak oil is felt.

Our wonderful Occult organization called Nasa already has free-energy.









Do you know the name of the star in the logo's?

How about this one.


Guess where the three stars are in the Heavens.



33 an 19.5?

To scientists and engineers conducting experiments along a path of understanding, the knowledge that fusion energy is impossible (or impossibly uneconomic) is nearly as valuable as the technological knowledge of how to contain a ten million degree burn - the goal.

The fact of the matter is, science does NOT understand the fundamental workings of the universe or even why there is a universe at all. No one can say whether or not fusion energy is possible or impossible until it is tried. To say that increasing knowledge of the profoundly mysterious characteristics of matter, energy and dimension is an exercise in futility doesn't make any logical sense at all.

The development of fusion, if it happens at all, will be due to deeper breakthroughs in scientists' understanding of quantum mechanics and basic properties. This is why projects like the Large Hadron Collider are so important. This is basic research which will guide the technological designs at achieving controlled fusion and other applied science.

The whole point of the Human Race is to discover fundamental properties of the environment and exploit them. By "the environment", we have now gotten to a point where tremendous focus has been placed on discovering the true nature of the universe. It's fallacious baloney to suggest that people should not be curious about what new benefits new knowledge may bestow regarding the technical challenges in the development of fusion energy and other technical projects.

The dinosaurs were around for 250 million years; no set of intelligent eyes ever laid eyes on that long reign. Was the Earth better off that none of its creatures could contemplate themselves and their planet? No other life has ever had hope of comprehending anything beyond plant and prey. It's like the old Zen koan, "If a tree fell in the forest and no one was there to see it, did it really fall?"

Anyone who argues that it is a waste of time to explore the universe and to use its principles to full advantage -- is a waste of time themselves. Because they argue that human beings should not be human beings.

orgins of mankind - the cycles of time

Ask the dodo bird, passenger pigeon, great auk, Steller's sea cow, desert bandicoot, etc. Ooops, you can't, humans made them extinct.

One could still argue that no set of intelligent eyes have yet laid on the Earth.


If a tree fell and hit a deer in the head, did the deer really die?

There is no point to the humans race or to individual humans, except what we decide it is, either individually or collectively.

Unfortunately, the pursuit of fusion requires huge resources to be thrown at it. It is not just the time of individual scientists. So, it may not be a waste of time but it could be argued that it is a waste of resources, depending on what "point" we collectively choose for the human race or for our societies. If, for instance, we choose to build sustainable societies, then fusion may be an academic exercise and should wait in the queue, until we've sorted out a sustainable society.

Of course, if we choose not to aim for sustainability, then the whole thing might become moot, since unsustainable societies (including all of their pet projects) must end.

Not true.
C where we are on the cycle.



But! we do have free-will.

Not true.

Human Beings possess intellectual faculties not seen anywhere else on Earth. This is the main survival mechanism for our species - BRAINS. We can engage in abstract and hypothetical thought. We can anticipate possible futures and prepare. We can research, experiment, hypothesize and learn as no other animal ever could.

So, this is the POINT of humanity's existence. There is no reason for the existence of an intelligent, highly sentient, advanced social species other than to explore the environment and the universe, exploiting whatever the environment has to offer.

As to fusion requiring "huge resources", EVERYTHING that humanity does requires huge resources. Everything requires great effort.

If you argue that there is "no point" to humanity at all, then there is no point in trying to do anything at all -- including turning back the clock of progress to some previous level of technological development.

Sorry, but arguing against exploring new possibilities ( such as converting matter into energy through fusion) is just plain silly.

I wasn't arguing against exploring new possibilities, just for a proper prioritisation. Fusion should be set down the list, given the likely timescale involved and the very real possibility of failure.

http://powerandcontrol.blogspot.com/2009/06/boys-at-talk-polywell-have-struck.html



Fusion energy

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/06/fusion_energy.html