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Fusion Energy: Mug Handles Could Help Hot Plasma Give Lower-Cost, Controllable Fusion Energy

Science Daily -- -- A new finding from the University of Washington could help contain and stabilize the fusion plasma using as little as 1 percent of the energy required by current methods.

The new equipment looks like handles on a coffee mug -- except they attach to a vessel containing a million-degree plasma that is literally too hot to handle.

Nuclear fusion smashes two small atoms together, releasing energy without requiring rare elements or generating radioactive waste.

Of course, there's a catch -- smashing the atoms together takes a lot of energy, and scientists are still working on a way to do it so you get out more energy than you put in. The sun is a powerful fusion reactor but we can't recreate a full-scale sun on Earth.

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Submitted Oct 16, 2012 By: fracknsave

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,609 Points:1,608,545 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 18, 2012 5:55:51 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse definitely outside the box thinking ... time will tell.
A2J Champion Author Richmond Posts:3,070 Points:601,975 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 8:25:40 PM Ignore A2J Report Abuse Okie
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:2,993 Points:597,535 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 1:31:37 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
jcdakota Champion Author Baltimore Posts:1,347 Points:361,345 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 9:17:31 AM Ignore jcdakota Report Abuse Is there a practical use for this in the near future?
MBAcura Champion Author Orlando Posts:2,355 Points:667,090 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 9:15:40 AM Ignore MBAcura Report Abuse Interesting, but can it cause earthquakes? TIC!
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:6,963 Points:2,116,640 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 8:56:20 AM Ignore remay Report Abuse "For two decades Jarboe's team has worked on helicity injection as a more efficient alternative..." Now THAT is "dedication"!
gas4433 Champion Author Houston Posts:2,347 Points:544,550 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 8:45:58 AM Ignore gas4433 Report Abuse Ok
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,609 Points:1,608,545 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 5:57:18 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,463 Points:661,975 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:10:42 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Imagine.......harnessing the power of a star.
1fulltank Champion Author Buffalo Posts:7,898 Points:1,543,335 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:07:28 AM Ignore 1fulltank Report Abuse Old article.
Toppers Champion Author Atlanta Posts:9,007 Points:2,469,720 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:04:27 AM Ignore Toppers Report Abuse Nice
ManOfLeisureII Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:1,869 Points:453,925 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:03:17 AM Ignore ManOfLeisureII Report Abuse Not in my lifetime
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,532 Points:1,857,395 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:02:43 AM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse WOW, hope it get working to use.
TheSicilian Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:5,374 Points:1,468,775 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:02:04 AM Ignore TheSicilian Report Abuse don't know about this
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:412,565 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:00:47 AM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse It may seem like they're wasting energy, @goodbuy, but realize that it takes energy to drill for oil and pull it out of the ground. Then it takes more energy to refine that oil into usable petroleum products. Then it takes more energy to transport those products to where they're needed so the concept of wasted energy is all relative.
DustyHorse Champion Author Virginia Posts:6,079 Points:1,390,785 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:58:40 PM Ignore DustyHorse Report Abuse Keep working on the technology.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:412,565 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:56:33 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse @jat60 is correct. However, it always seems as though nuclear fusion is 40 years away. I am hopeful that as computer processing power keeps doubling, eventually we will have a computer powerful enough to make enough adjustments to the magnetic field of a nuclear fusion reaction quickly enough to keep the reaction stable. Once that happens, mankind will have harnessed near limitless power.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,795 Points:412,565 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:52:31 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Great! So when can I pick up my Mr. Fusion powered, flying DeLorean from Doc Brown? :)
wayoung56 Champion Author Alabama Posts:2,795 Points:817,360 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:48:46 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Hope this pans out!!!
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,061 Points:1,730,260 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:45:41 PM Ignore mstearno Report Abuse go get em dr emmett brown
jimbonator88 Sophomore Author California Posts:135 Points:29,350 Joined:Aug 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:45:20 PM Ignore jimbonator88 Report Abuse iron mans heart
aega7 Rookie Author Ventura Posts:97 Points:43,885 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:43:56 PM Ignore aega7 Report Abuse That would be nice
rippertoo Champion Author Tacoma Posts:5,750 Points:1,140,860 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:43:42 PM Ignore rippertoo Report Abuse Whatever.
REKEY Champion Author South Carolina Posts:8,569 Points:1,698,215 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:43:42 PM Ignore REKEY Report Abuse Good ideas!
Bleeder Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,038 Points:1,699,625 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:42:41 PM Ignore Bleeder Report Abuse Interesting.
jat60 Champion Author California Posts:1,560 Points:654,425 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:38:16 PM Ignore jat60 Report Abuse suzmar, I don't think there's any "maybe" to it. Fusion reaction is perhaps the most fundamental form of energy production in the known universe. It's just a matter of when we figure out how to tame it. Think about prehistoric man, and the moment when they figured out how to harness wildfire into something they could control. Still, if you think of all the technology advances in the last 50-100 years, you'd think we'd be closer to harnessing nuclear fusion by now.
Bonito Champion Author Dayton Posts:15,747 Points:3,006,920 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:36:38 PM Ignore Bonito Report Abuse MY FRIEND FROM HIGH SCHOOL HAS WORKED ON FUSION POWER HIS WHOLE LIFE AND IT IS NEAR AND WILL MAKE OIL, GAS, NAURAL GAS, AND COAL TALKED ABOUT IN OLD HISTORY BOOKS! THEY JUST NEED TO MAKE IT SMALLER AND YOUR CAR WILL GO FOREVER WITH NO FILL-UP.!
serrog Champion Author Nova Scotia Posts:5,559 Points:1,511,155 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:33:59 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse ok
jat60 Champion Author California Posts:1,560 Points:654,425 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:32:25 PM Ignore jat60 Report Abuse knot2swift, you make a good point about the unintended consequences of abundant, cheap energy. I'm not so concerned about the planet overheating due to excess energy. After all, today's energy sources (anything that burns fuel for energy) are so inefficient, that fusion will likely end up producing less "residue" energy. But I do have to wonder how our society will squander an abundant and cheap form of energy. Even with the amount of griping about today's energy prices, people are loathe to conserve. Imagine what will happen when energy gets cheap... Nonetheless, I certainly hope I live long enough to see the first production fusion reactor.
suzmar Champion Author Texas Posts:2,212 Points:871,865 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:29:34 PM Ignore suzmar Report Abuse Another article built around maybe dream of the future.
Jeeputtputt Champion Author Ohio Posts:3,002 Points:677,465 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:29:11 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse always a catch
Ticoman54 Champion Author Miami Posts:7,041 Points:1,491,045 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:28:51 PM Ignore Ticoman54 Report Abuse Keep developing!
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:7,917 Points:1,574,005 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:25:07 PM Ignore abcdMA Report Abuse lets hope
hauler43 Champion Author Oakland Posts:8,158 Points:2,597,750 Joined:Sep 2003	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:24:08 PM Ignore hauler43 Report Abuse Safety
mcmonsta Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,222 Points:817,570 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:20:32 PM Ignore mcmonsta Report Abuse just a matter of time and money...plus a lot of working gray matter
Goofoff Champion Author Virginia Posts:11,882 Points:2,177,200 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:20:04 PM Ignore Goofoff Report Abuse Smart
Piniewoods All-Star Author Jacksonville Posts:892 Points:460,315 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:14:44 PM Ignore Piniewoods Report Abuse Yes Mr. Spock... excuse me while I go talk to this hot green chick from another planet.
Crumbfel Champion Author Virginia Posts:11,554 Points:2,160,585 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:14:30 PM Ignore Crumbfel Report Abuse Wow
barbs24 Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:3,134 Points:2,039,595 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:14:20 PM Ignore barbs24 Report Abuse I am so glad there are smart scientist out there.
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,615 Points:3,493,730 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:10:10 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse Man-made/controlled fusion is not likely to yield much energy in my lifetime.
OOXXFF Champion Author Greensboro Posts:3,058 Points:1,078,430 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:09:31 PM Ignore OOXXFF Report Abuse This is progress. We need more.
EVBuddy Champion Author Nevada Posts:16,685 Points:3,030,620 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:06:14 PM Ignore EVBuddy Report Abuse True but so what
SavALot Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:8,464 Points:1,710,635 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:53:36 PM Ignore SavALot Report Abuse mug handles? what will they think of next???
jb107 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,549 Points:2,621,025 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:53:01 PM Ignore jb107 Report Abuse Another wild idea.
qwerty17 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:3,645 Points:1,116,550 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:51:59 PM Ignore qwerty17 Report Abuse i love hot plasma.
BackwoodsPundit Champion Author Richmond Posts:5,180 Points:1,011,175 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:51:51 PM Ignore BackwoodsPundit Report Abuse Hopefully Homer Simpson wont drink from the wrong mug.
humancry Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,618 Points:1,002,455 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:49:24 PM Ignore humancry Report Abuse what ever.
leemun Champion Author Utah Posts:5,528 Points:1,039,150 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:45:38 PM Ignore leemun Report Abuse Works for my teacup, why not for hot plasma?
uskies Sophomore Author Riverside Posts:228 Points:256,125 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:43:58 PM Ignore uskies Report Abuse ok
KhelbenArunson Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,441 Points:716,890 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:42:08 PM Ignore KhelbenArunson Report Abuse sweet... we are moving in the right direction.