A Faraday cage wouldn't stop static magnetic fields; you would need mu metal or superconducting materials to help decrease the magnetic field of earth.

First time I heard a professional needs a PhD.

I imagine it would be more like finding a copper smelting pit and then some used tools - all cool stuff right?

... "why are people with trait XY not applying?"

Actually, I think it is those with trait XX that are usually misrepresented?

I'd agree these superconducting cables have issues, but exploding really isn't one of them. Most modern superconducting magnetic coils and cables are designed around quenching and have copper dump loads built into the cables. The real killer for power is the energy required to keep the cables cool...

IMHO, the solution to solar would be affordable large scale energy *storage* (magnetic energy storage, large vacuum composite flywheels, etc.).

Beautiful. Never read a more perfect summary of the necessity of doing pure science.

Greenpeace's stance on anything is mostly sensationalist rubbish.

And it explains why mercury is liquid: http://voh.chem.ucla.edu/vohtar/fall02/classes/172/pdf/172rpint.pdf

The AFMs you cite only use stepper motors for the first stage of precision movement. The precision movement at the atomic level is handled by piezo devices (i assume called piezoelectric actuators). These are very difficult to control since they have complex hysteresis involved with their movement, and change their properties over time. Expensive as well. He *is* better off using the hard drive components to do what he wants...

Polywell more wacky than this? There are a number of things I can't see them getting right with this piston concept any time soon. Personally, I don't think they can make a uniform shockwave using pistons, but we'll see I guess. The plasma vortex rings sounds interesting. I guess my primary question would be using the lead lithium blanket next to the plasma. Invariably, you'll have some vapor in the plasma region, and these higher Z atoms should wreck havoc with Bremsstrahlung radiation. The polywell already produces neutrons from fusion, avoids Bremsstrahlung more than the original "fusor" concepts, and should be scalable. Granted, I actually feel that the more conventional schemes have a greater chance of success currently. ITER should break even...

The correct answer is "Yes. I will take that bet."

Or, better yet, the sea cow:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steller's_Sea_Cow