3 ms·
> If we’re dreaming big, let’s forget the wimpy solar energy constraints and adopt fusion. The abundance of deuterium in ordinary water would allow us to have a
by gumballindie 3y ago
> If we’re dreaming big, let’s forget the wimpy solar energy constraints and adopt fusion. The abundance of deuterium in ordinary water would allow us to have a seemingly inexhaustible source of energy right here on Earth. We won’t go into a detailed analysis of this path, because we don’t have to. The merciless growth illustrated above means that in 1400 years from now, any source of energy we harness would have to outshine the sun.
Let’s worry about that in 1400 years. _If_ we make it that far. As things stand we may not have to worry about it at all because we wont.
- pfdietz 3y agoThe artificial fusion of deuterium in our solar system (or in our galaxy) is utterly dwarfed by the fusion of ordinary protium (hydrogen-1) because there's so much more of the latter. Of course, the latter is fused in stars, not in reactors. So if we're taking the very long view solar (or stellar) power > artificial fusion. It's possible dropping mass in black holes will eventually beat either.