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I think you are confusing thermonuclear with fission. Thermonuclear means fusion. The first case you mention, the sun, is indeed thermonuclear. However reactor
by pacificmint 5y ago
I think you are confusing thermonuclear with fission. Thermonuclear means fusion. The first case you mention, the sun, is indeed thermonuclear.
However reactors are on earth not thermonuclear, they are regular fission. Fusion may be on the near or far horizon, depending on who you ask, but we certainly don’t have that ability yet.
- CRConrad 5y ago> I think you are confusing thermonuclear with fission. Thermonuclear means fusion. Huh, TIL -- I'd always thought it meant both. Like, fission also generates heat from activity of the atomic nucleus, so it's also "thermo-nuclear" in that sense. (So, if anyone knows: Where does the term come from -- is it from the immense heat needed for fusion ignition?)
- thathndude 5y agoMy statement was less confused and more optimistic. We most definitely have the ability to make thermonuclear reactors on earth. The issue is making them work effectively for power generation. See, for example, https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/us-fusion-reaction-generates-more-energy-than-absorbe/ https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/us-fusion-reaction-generates... I firmly believe we would have this cracked by now if we hadn’t foolishly wimped out on nuclear when there were some growing pains. Instead of investing we have countries running from nuclear. That’s a huge blunder in my opinion.