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> "ITER will be the first fusion device to produce net energy. Is that proven or just hopeful?

• Someone 11y ago
  AFAIK, proven in the sense that extrapolating known results shows that a device this size should be net positive, and that material scientists state that the necessary parts can be made, size- and tolerance-wise. Hopeful in the sense that the pudding hasn't been eaten and in that it may take only one of these material scientists to be wrong or too optimistic to turn a 'can' into a 'cannot' (In many cases, we have never built parts at the necessary scale and tolerances, so scientists assessing whether we can build them have to extrapolate, too) And of course, it helps for many of the scientists involved to be on the optimistic side. That possibly is a good thing, as we will never know whether we can build this if we do not try doing it. Finally, there always is a chance that we overlook some important problem, or (less likely) that new science rears its head.
  • venomsnake 11y ago
    So it is expected. Because it was stated as "settled and done" in the article. Which was a surprise to me, since my opinion on the matter is close to yours.