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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:18,818 Points:1,636,245 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 18, 2012 4:55:51 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse definitely outside the box thinking ... time will tell.
A2J Champion Author Richmond Posts:3,205 Points:628,700 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 7:25:40 PM Ignore A2J Report Abuse Okie
sparky808 Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,139 Points:624,685 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 12:31:37 PM Ignore sparky808 Report Abuse Thank you for posting.
jcdakota Champion Author Baltimore Posts:1,422 Points:376,370 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 8:17:31 AM Ignore jcdakota Report Abuse Is there a practical use for this in the near future?
MBAcura Champion Author Orlando Posts:2,385 Points:689,740 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 8:15:40 AM Ignore MBAcura Report Abuse Interesting, but can it cause earthquakes? TIC!
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:7,078 Points:2,143,215 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 7:56:20 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:2,419 Points:569,000 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 7:45:58 AM Ignore gas4433 Report Abuse Ok
honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,818 Points:1,636,245 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 17, 2012 4:57:18 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,676 Points:689,675 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:10:42 PM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse Imagine.......harnessing the power of a star.
1fulltank Champion Author Buffalo Posts:8,036 Points:1,570,995 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:07:28 PM Ignore 1fulltank Report Abuse Old article.
Toppers Champion Author Atlanta Posts:9,147 Points:2,497,420 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:04:27 PM Ignore Toppers Report Abuse Nice
ManOfLeisureII Champion Author Philadelphia Posts:2,010 Points:480,125 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:03:17 PM Ignore ManOfLeisureII Report Abuse Not in my lifetime
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,672 Points:1,885,095 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:02:43 PM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse WOW, hope it get working to use.
TheSicilian Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:5,514 Points:1,496,475 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:02:04 PM Ignore TheSicilian Report Abuse don't know about this
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,985 Points:439,840 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 11:00:47 PM 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:6,214 Points:1,416,580 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:58:40 PM Ignore DustyHorse Report Abuse Keep working on the technology.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,985 Points:439,840 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:56:33 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:3,985 Points:439,840 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:52:31 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:2,915 Points:844,035 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:48:46 PM Ignore wayoung56 Report Abuse Hope this pans out!!!
mstearno Champion Author Dayton Posts:8,174 Points:1,755,920 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:45:41 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 10:45:20 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 10:43:56 PM Ignore aega7 Report Abuse That would be nice
rippertoo Champion Author Tacoma Posts:5,890 Points:1,168,560 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:43:42 PM Ignore rippertoo Report Abuse Whatever.
REKEY Champion Author South Carolina Posts:8,713 Points:1,725,145 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:43:42 PM Ignore REKEY Report Abuse Good ideas!
Bleeder Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,038 Points:1,717,725 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:42:41 PM Ignore Bleeder Report Abuse Interesting.
jat60 Champion Author California Posts:1,562 Points:656,990 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:38:16 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:15,911 Points:3,034,620 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:36:38 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:5,700 Points:1,538,855 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:33:59 PM Ignore serrog Report Abuse ok
jat60 Champion Author California Posts:1,562 Points:656,990 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:32:25 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:2,223 Points:896,185 Joined:Jun 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:29:34 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 10:29:11 PM Ignore Jeeputtputt Report Abuse always a catch
Ticoman54 Champion Author Miami Posts:7,151 Points:1,516,645 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:28:51 PM Ignore Ticoman54 Report Abuse Keep developing!
abcdMA Champion Author Worcester Posts:8,052 Points:1,600,730 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:25:07 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 10:24:08 PM Ignore hauler43 Report Abuse Safety
mcmonsta Champion Author Honolulu Posts:3,342 Points:844,495 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:20:32 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 10:20:04 PM Ignore Goofoff Report Abuse Smart
Piniewoods All-Star Author Jacksonville Posts:892 Points:466,240 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:14:44 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 10:14:30 PM Ignore Crumbfel Report Abuse Wow
barbs24 Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:3,277 Points:2,067,480 Joined:Feb 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:14:20 PM Ignore barbs24 Report Abuse I am so glad there are smart scientist out there.
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,740 Points:3,518,505 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:10:10 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse Man-made/controlled fusion is not likely to yield much energy in my lifetime.
OOXXFF Champion Author Greensboro Posts:3,193 Points:1,105,905 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:09:31 PM Ignore OOXXFF Report Abuse This is progress. We need more.
EVBuddy Champion Author Nevada Posts:16,830 Points:3,058,320 Joined:Sep 2004	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 10:06:14 PM Ignore EVBuddy Report Abuse True but so what
SavALot Champion Author Virginia Beach Posts:8,613 Points:1,738,185 Joined:Apr 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:53:36 PM Ignore SavALot Report Abuse mug handles? what will they think of next???
jb107 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:9,690 Points:2,648,725 Joined:Sep 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:53:01 PM Ignore jb107 Report Abuse Another wild idea.
qwerty17 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:3,760 Points:1,143,275 Joined:Oct 2009	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:51:59 PM Ignore qwerty17 Report Abuse i love hot plasma.
BackwoodsPundit Champion Author Richmond Posts:5,207 Points:1,027,340 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:51:51 PM Ignore BackwoodsPundit Report Abuse Hopefully Homer Simpson wont drink from the wrong mug.
humancry Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,620 Points:1,003,470 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:49:24 PM Ignore humancry Report Abuse what ever.
leemun Champion Author Utah Posts:5,677 Points:1,066,790 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:45:38 PM Ignore leemun Report Abuse Works for my teacup, why not for hot plasma?
uskies Sophomore Author Riverside Posts:228 Points:261,925 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:43:58 PM Ignore uskies Report Abuse ok
KhelbenArunson Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,581 Points:744,590 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Oct 16, 2012 9:42:08 PM Ignore KhelbenArunson Report Abuse sweet... we are moving in the right direction.