12 ms·

Idk why this sounds like another business scientist with a lofty idea that will never materialize.

• pseudolus 4y ago
  The potential upside is incredibly high and the investment required to determine if the technology is so low that it's well worth pursuing.
  • hereme888 4y ago
    Totally agree.
• pqdbr 4y ago
  I actually got really excited after reading the article, and the entire piece is about how "down to earth" (pun intended) the technology being developed here really is. They are going to great lengths to make it compatible with the existing power grid (just replacing the heat source for current generators), re-utilizing abandoned mines and all. So, would you care to elaborate why you think it would never materialize?
  • jffry 4y ago
    The article puts a lot of weight on the use of pre-existing technology in a new mode for making deep bore holes, and glosses over the engineering challenges that have yet to be solved ("transmitting a clean beam and having it operate at a high energy density without breakdown"). I'm not equipped to judge how difficult those problems will be to overcome in practice. Obviously this would be very cool if it bears out, but it's hard to tell if it will.
  • hereme888 4y ago
    I agree the technology does seem down to earth, and they're trying to make it quite practical. I'm also excited. I just think of so many hurdles...I hope they make it. I originally wrote a huge reply explaining my thinking, but sounded like a rant. If it works, maybe it can also be used to quickly bore the underground tunnels Musk has been working on. Could be life-changing tech.