World’s Biggest Laser…Need I say more?
World’s Biggest Laser…Need I say more?
The National Ignition Facility (NIF), which is currently housed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, fired its first full system shot back on Feb. 26.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about check out this video.
The laser (performs air quotes) could potentially be “the answer” (read: one of many) to the world’s energy crisis.
The achievement of fusion ignition in a laboratory setting sets an important precedent for fusion’s long-term potential as a safe (produces no greenhouse gases) and essentially limitless energy alternative.
The energy level will be systematically increased as tests continue over the next few months.
The hope is to fire all 192 beams (Darth Vader eat your heart out) at full energy, which would produce (according to this article) about 500 trillion watts of peak power.
Speaking of energy (seamless segue) check out the Wall Street Journal’s Eco:nomics recap in today’s edition. It’s a fast read and Jeffrey Ball did a nice job as host/interviewer during last week’s conference.
Stay tuned for my behind-the-scenes take of the Eco:nomics Conference later in the week. Everything you want to know about, but probably won’t read about Eco:nomics.
Don’t act like you’re not intrigued.
(I love parentheses, almost as much as I love “lasers.”)
March 9th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Awesome video. Is this the materialization of an inevitable innovation? Or life imitating Art (Star Wars)?
replyMarch 15th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
Perhaps a little of both? As long as the Death Star is not materialized, I am all for life imitating art.
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