Gates looking for energy solutions

Discuss life, the universe, and everything with other members of this site. Get to know your fellow polywell enthusiasts.

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Betruger
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Post by Betruger »

chrismb wrote: Which way did he mean it??
Gee I dunno. Lemme check my grammar arcana and do lots of complicated math to figure it out.

chrismb
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Post by chrismb »

Aero wrote:How do we state the myth for the benefit of Polywell awareness and proof of safety in the neighborhood? Maybe I should forget it, because concern for safety may be more negative than any benefit achieved from awareness.
Well, of course, that is the one legacy of Bussard's that is clear and present; his dissemination of the gridded fusor into the amateur world. And it has got little further.

People (inc scinetists) just no longer bother putting much attention into anything that requires more than a few seconds attention to fully comprehend. It's the "if you can't explain it in a sentence, it's no good" mentality. People actually believe that. That's why science is doomed.

MSimon
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Post by MSimon »

I just got it. Switching coils and magnets. Perfect. Stepper motors.

And you know why the output is so weak? Not enough switching coils.

And you know what? we have yet to find a stepper motor that violates conservation of energy.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.

MSimon
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Post by MSimon »

chrismb wrote:
Aero wrote:How do we state the myth for the benefit of Polywell awareness and proof of safety in the neighborhood? Maybe I should forget it, because concern for safety may be more negative than any benefit achieved from awareness.
Well, of course, that is the one legacy of Bussard's that is clear and present; his dissemination of the gridded fusor into the amateur world. And it has got little further.

People (inc scinetists) just no longer bother putting much attention into anything that requires more than a few seconds attention to fully comprehend. It's the "if you can't explain it in a sentence, it's no good" mentality. People actually believe that. That's why science is doomed.
I dunno. I think retired old farts who have "tenure" will bring it back to life.

I have nothing to lose. No reputation to uphold - except to tell the truth as I see it. So I can do insane things like promote Polywell when any one in the know was sure the effort was a waste.

But to pull off something like that the veil of secrecy has to be lifted. Give away your ideas.

Or look at Mach-Einstein. Or crazy theories of why the speed of light in matter might relate to other observations.
Engineering is the art of making what you want from what you can get at a profit.

Aero
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Post by Aero »

MSimon wrote:I just got it. Switching coils and magnets. Perfect. Stepper motors.

And you know why the output is so weak? Not enough switching coils.

And you know what? we have yet to find a stepper motor that violates conservation of energy.
It is unfortunate that they are not very powerful, though they do have good torque over a small rotation angle. It seems to me that magnetism only allows a rather low number of switching coils. Of course the number depends on the size of the machine and the power of the magnets. Its a trade-off, in other words.
Aero

doug l
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Location: Sheridan, IN

Post by doug l »

I occasionally think back to the Bussard GoogleTalk. When he's reached the end of the technical presentation and asks questions, one of the first from the room filled with Google employees, was something like" Well, why don't you just model this system on a computer to see how or if it will work?". Dr Bussard explained that computer simulations are approximations and that materials have properties that don't translate very well, and other odd phenomenon which happen, etc...
Right after that point it seemed to me a significant number of the audience wrapped up their stuff and left the room...mabye lunch was over or they had another meeting to attend, I don't know, probably just my perception, but I wonder.

kurt9
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Post by kurt9 »

If all of the fusion concepts are funded, Bill could finance the research into funky physics things like Mach-Lorentz thrusters or Heim Drive.

Skipjack
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Post by Skipjack »

If all of the fusion concepts are funded, Bill could finance the research into funky physics things like Mach-Lorentz thrusters or Heim Drive.
I think there are also some of those zero point/vacuum energy guys that need funding.
Personally I would fund the Mach Lorentz thruster too though. It would be a game changer. It would completely transform the world.

MirariNefas
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Post by MirariNefas »

Doesn't seem like what Bill is up to. He's trying to solve old problems with more or less known technologies - nuclear fission and vaccines to allow economic growth until we're all at first world levels.

I don't think he's interested in coming up with electrodynamic drives so we can all go visit the moon.

Josh Cryer
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Post by Josh Cryer »

Appears he's backing Gen IV nuclear! That's huge!
Science is what we have learned about how not to fool ourselves about the way the world is.

Betruger
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Post by Betruger »

How substantial will his help be? Not in dollars but proportionately to Gen IV's needs?

Josh Cryer
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Post by Josh Cryer »

Put it this way, is there *anyone* funding to build a Gen IV reactor in the history, of well, nuclear power? I don't know of anyone. India is playing around with it but they have no plans in the immediate future.

All "New Nuclear" should be Gen IV, not Gen III+ in my opinion!

Bill Gates is reportedly working with these guys: http://www.intellectualventures.com/TerraPower.aspx
Science is what we have learned about how not to fool ourselves about the way the world is.

Skipjack
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Post by Skipjack »

MirariNefas wrote:I don't think he's interested in coming up with electrodynamic drives so we can all go visit the moon.
Well an ML thruster would change everything. The way we do transport in any aspect. That would affect the environment too and global energy consumption. It is a world changing thing.

MirariNefas
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Post by MirariNefas »

Look, don't make me bring up the kook thing again! He's funding stuff that is known to work.

When someone backs fission and vaccines, that tells you he's interested in respectable technologies. That precludes electrodynamics.

Betruger
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Post by Betruger »

Putting ML to bed wouldn't cost all that much. The cost/benefit ratio is just too good to ignore.

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