Slashdot

The target substrate consists of coherently aligned (vertically) carbon nanotubes saturated with a one to one mix of deuterium-tritium fuel, and sealed with a single-molecule layer of lithium deuteride. A fuel wafer so formed is approximately 100 mm in diameter and .01mm thick - it is backed with a GaS-doped silicon substrate which is wired into a central power bus. A megawatt Nd:glass laser is optically split into 256 equal beams and focussed on the fuel wafer at minimal power. When fired, the laser beam will strike the target, and the lithium deuteride seal will be driven into the fuel mixture at relativistic speeds, and sufficient temperature/pressure levels will be produced inside the confined space of the carbon nanotube to achieve fusion of the fuel mixture. The energy of fusion will produce helium nuclei, each having almost three million electron volts of energy, which when they strike the silicon backing, will deliver an enormous burst of electrical energy to the power bus which can be smoothed and rectified to usable power as subsequent cells are fired. Power levels are sufficient to not only drive the laser and fuel replacement mechanism, but provide 1900% net power gain.

For 11 years physicist Robert Bussard quietly worked on Boron Fusion research for the U.S. Navy.
Just as his experiments promised to bear fruit, the funding ran out, and an explosion in his laboratory put an emphatic end to his efforts.

Now, in a Defense News article, the details of this fusion technology emerge, along with Bussard's claims that a remarkably small amount of funding could finish the job and deliver a working fusion reactor decades ahead of competing efforts - a reactor that runs on Boron and produces electricity directly - without radiation.

Has anyone else noticed that with replies not enabled, the amount of trolling and flaming has dropped to historically low levels?

It's so peaceful...

"The moderation system for Slashdot is currently down."

Shazaaaaam... Sarge?

You have 5 Moderator Points! Use 'em or lose 'em!

*crackle*