Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a tabletop accelerator that produces nuclear fusion at room temperature, providing confirmation of an earlier experiment conducted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), while offering substantial improvements over the original design.
The device, which uses two opposing crystals to generate a powerful electric field, could potentially lead to a portable, battery-operated neutron generator for a variety of applications, from non-destructive testing to detecting explosives and scanning luggage at airports.
The new study also verified the fundamental physics behind the original experiment. This suggests that pyroelectric crystals are in fact a viable means of producing nuclear fusion, and that commercial applications may be closer than originally thought, according to Danon.
Read through the article and see what you think. I’m usually as skeptical about room temperature fusion as a joint press release from Drudge and Rove. But, folks at RPI haven’t built their reputation over the years by being anything other than conservative and thorough in their testing.
Damn conservative testers they’re the reason the worlds so screwed up.
The big question here is whether or not this produces a net gain in energy. As the article is written, it appears that this is only a particle accelerator or neutron generator, useful for x-rays, CAT Scans, etc. This may not result in net useable energy.
ive watched this and several other projects like as cold plasma research at mit http://psfcwww2.psfc.mit.edu/plasmatech/plasmatron1.html
that seem incredibly doable… about ready to take off… and then… nothing. seems to me its time to start building out some of this stuff or get ready to ride camels.. i wonder what the they would think of “brokeback mountain… part 2 “the bedouin brothers” “!!!
“I’ll show them! I’ll show them ALLLL!”
Seriously, Purdue researchers (also a conservative bunch) did work in this area a few years ago, and got neutrons. I believe the Department of the Navy has been funding research in cold fusion and related methods for several years now.
Wayne–the oil companies won’t go out of business, but they will be using what they pump as feedstocks for making products that use oil as a raw material. Think lubricants and polymers (like plastics).
The air up there in Troy has driven these people mad…Mad, I say!
This wasn’t announced by Algore, John Kerry or Howard Dean or Would-be Empress Hilliarius so it’s probably trustworthy.
Damn, now I feel out of date. The last time I checked, nuclear fusion was not yet possible on Earth. And now they make it, not only possible, but also tabletop-small, and room-temprture. If I had a million dollars, I would probably invest into this.
Well, someone needs to copyright the name “Mr. Fusion.”
Ok, I’m here, now what’s the problem?