http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotlan...ast/6595127.stm
QUOTE
Laser heats up the fusion future
By Jonathan Fildes
Science and technology reporter, BBC News
The world's most powerful laser has heated matter to 10 million Celsius, hotter than the surface of the Sun.
The Vulcan laser concentrated energy equivalent to 100 times the world's electricity production into a spot just a few millionths of a metre across.
Writing in the New Journal of Physics, scientists said they could create the conditions for fractions of a second.
The experiments demonstrated concepts which could be key to building a future nuclear fusion reactor.
The UK has proposed an even more powerful laser facility, known as Hiper (High Power laser Energy Research), which will study the feasibility of laser fusion as a potential future energy source.
By Jonathan Fildes
Science and technology reporter, BBC News
The world's most powerful laser has heated matter to 10 million Celsius, hotter than the surface of the Sun.
The Vulcan laser concentrated energy equivalent to 100 times the world's electricity production into a spot just a few millionths of a metre across.
Writing in the New Journal of Physics, scientists said they could create the conditions for fractions of a second.
The experiments demonstrated concepts which could be key to building a future nuclear fusion reactor.
The UK has proposed an even more powerful laser facility, known as Hiper (High Power laser Energy Research), which will study the feasibility of laser fusion as a potential future energy source.
MORE AT LINK
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Diamond bid to contain sun's heat
Scientists in Edinburgh are developing tiles covered in homegrown diamonds which they claim could help create a waste-free nuclear power reactor.
Experts at Heriot-Watt University have developed a method of growing large amounts of diamond film.
They said this could be used to coat the tiles which line the walls of prototype fusion reactors.
Diamond is thought to be able to withstand the "sun-like temperatures" better than other materials.
Present methods of generating nuclear power use fission to split atoms.
Scientists in Edinburgh are developing tiles covered in homegrown diamonds which they claim could help create a waste-free nuclear power reactor.
Experts at Heriot-Watt University have developed a method of growing large amounts of diamond film.
They said this could be used to coat the tiles which line the walls of prototype fusion reactors.
Diamond is thought to be able to withstand the "sun-like temperatures" better than other materials.
Present methods of generating nuclear power use fission to split atoms.
MORE AT LINK
