Nerd Nite NYC
Galapagos Art Space DUMBO
16 Main Street in DUMBO Brooklyn (F train to York St. or A/C train to High St.)
Friday January 15, 2009 at 7pm (Quizo) and 8:15pm (regular Nerd Nite)
Back to the lectures at hand:
*Presentation 1
Fusing the Atom and Living to Tell
by Famulus
Description: We have built an open source nuclear fusion reactor and fused the atom. This is the story of a remarkable fusion device called the Farnsworth Fusor and its successor, the Bussard Reactor (aka. Polywell). The Bussard Reactor holds the promise of clean cheap abundant energy from fusion. This is a story of research on the edge.
Bio: Famulus is an entrepreneur, hacker, and rails developer. In 2008 he learned of the Bussard fusion reactor and left the software world to try and build a working Bussard Reactor.
Plus, gay speed dating! (There's a joke about colliding ions in here somewhere).
Personally, I find software far too lucrative to abandon (at least before I get enough put away to comfortably retire on), but I admire the courage of people leaping in with both feet.
So, d'you have to get a gay speed-date to attend the lecture? Could be an issue ... Me confused. (not that I've got anything against gays - I'm sure I'd be a lesbian if I was a girl!!)
Have we heard from Famulus since he set off to get some more diagnostic kit/measurements? Famulus, sir, have you any improved-quality radiation measurements since your announcement?
On the subject of 'those gone quiet', what's up with Focus Fusion? Their website seems to have changed and I can no longer find a regularly updated blog of their current tests. They got a pinch the first day, weeks ago, that they seemed over the moon about but not heard any more since? Did it blow a fuse.. or an electrode?
chrismb wrote:So, d'you have to get a gay speed-date to attend the lecture? Could be an issue ... Me confused. (not that I've got anything against gays - I'm sure I'd be a lesbian if I was a girl!!)
You can also buy separate tickets for the Nerd Nite only.
I'm wondering whether somebody already made a talk about Polywell on sci-fi or hacker cons. Those events may be a serious attractor for people who have motivation and knowledge (and possibly facilities). Especially the SF conventions are frequently attended by local scientists.
I know it's been bouncing around Slashdot since the Tech Talk days (in fact I think it was a mention there by bcglorfindel that initially piqued my interest).
The Crossfire design is also heavily influenced by Polywell. I forget the guy's name, but his reactor is basically a Polywell with a controlled electron flow.
... Me confused. (not that I've got anything against gays - I'm sure I'd be a lesbian if I was a girl!!)