BY: BEN KOTZUBEI
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/science/04/28/laser.fusion.nif/index.html?hpt=C1
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7 comments:
Although this idea is pretty convincing, the part that creeped me out a little: "The [worst possible] mishap is, it doesn't work." But then they probably put years of research into this and they are scientists after all, so I guess we have to trust them on this one. So anyways, this article was REALLY poorly written (Mrs. Samson would be so angry), paragraphs with one sentence? CNN need to get a new writer.
This is amazing! I mean, sure, it only lasts 200 trillionths of a second, and it'll only be 5 microns big... but it's huge progress! Plus, Brandon F, I don't see what creeps you out. So, it doesn't work, well, it doesn't work! And, whatever about the writing. I mean, the subject is AMAZING! I'm gonna research more about this. This is so great! It could resolve almost ALL our problems! Economy, energy.... Plus, if we can make something as big as the sun (that's going to take hundreds of years, because you'd need a laser bigger than the earth...) it's gonna stop the end of the world theory! (at least the one with the sun exploding.) AND it has to last more than a second. But, you know, humans will be humans. WE CAN DO THIS!
This is an incredible idea! Creating a mini star on the Earth's surface could be the solution to our problems with energy loss, but I think that is a bit of an optimistic statement at this stage in the scientists' research. It probably takes a lot of energy at this point for the whole research project, yet that is the cause they are working for: reduction in energy loss and waste. I also disagree with what Anaïs said about this mini star resolving our economic issues. Even if the scientists eventually perfect this laser and are able to create some sort of power plant by using mini stars, it would be really expensive, even if they stay within a budget. Just think how much money would have to go into research, building more than just one laser, getting consent and support from the government to carry on with this project, finding out how to connect the energy to people's homes, expanding possibly to other countries if it is a success...the list could go on and on. Already, billions of dollars have been spent on this. And what if it does not work out? Or what if, by the time scientists reform this laser, it is too late to save anything? They are taking a chance, where either a lot can be gained or a lot can be lost. This could take a lifetime of research, and the information wouldn't be as simple to pass on to incoming generations as passing on cultural hunting stories for example. It seems very complex, and not as simple as this poorly written article puts it. I completely understand what you were thinking, but I believe that it is more complicated because of the process and progress to go through before getting to a point where it could help us. I do agree with what you said, that we can eventually make this work. I think you hit the nail right on the nose when you said that "humans will be humans" because the progress and progression of our ideas while figuring out how to make this work could be like human evolution through ideas...if that makes any sense. I can't believe that this idea has been around for half a century and now we are finally getting somewhere with this research though. It is hard for me to believe that 100 billion atmospheres can be created by shooting a laser... but it is the biggest on in the world after all. Even though it will only last around 200 trillionths of a second, and it will be very small, maybe the scientists can make improvements if it turns out to be a success. I hope that the world doesn't end in 2012, because that is when they estimate that the work on this massive laser will be complete. Overall, this is an amazing idea, and amazing progress, but there are a lot of different aspects to this project that need to be considered.
Whoops...sorry about my long comment. I sort of got carried away.
I think if it were perfected it would be tremendous but if there was even the smallest flaw it could lead to a disaster.
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