Cold fusion - the only hope for mankind

[Big Bend]

Here (http://www.science.edu/TechoftheYear/TechoftheYear.htm) is an article describing the latest advances in cold fusion power. I honestly believe that the fate of civilization rests on this technology working someday. Our carbon and nuclear resources are limited and cause lots of environmental problems. Eventually wars and population growth will take their toll on our planet and without enough energy capacity mankind will slip into the darkest of dark ages.

Cold Fusion, with the promise of unlimited clean "free" energy, could keep that from happening. Unlimited desalination plants would provide all the fresh water the world needs. The possibilities are endless with this technology.. without it tho, I fear our grandchildren will inherit a horrific existense.

Thoughts?

L8r.. BB

[Darryl_P]

I don't think energy is the key to mankind's fate. Hydro-electric power, wind and solar power are all clean (if done right), and today's hedonistic, over-consuming society is doomed to failure anyway for other reasons.

Looks like pretty cool technology in any case (no pun intended).

[ChrisV]

Boron-hydrogen fusion is a form of what is called aneutronic fusion. Far from being cold fusion (there's no such thing) it requires extreme temperatures to operate, something like ten times higher than that of conventional fusion. Given that we haven't even managed to build a functioning conventional fusion plant yet, the technical challenges for this form of fusion are immense. It wouldn't surprise me if we cracked it within my lifetime, though.

[reb]

Zero-point energy sounds intuitively more promising than cold fusion imho. As far as free energy goes, it would have massive geopolitical impact and I think it will be a key in the survival of humanity, because then we could stop killing each other for resources, among other things.

[PLOlover]

I heard that nanotechnology will soon deliver stuff like spray on solar cells, which would finally make solar power cheap.

The interesting thing is that solar power is simply an engineering problem, whereas cold fusion may not be theoretically possible at all.

Given how nanotechnology only began maybe 10-15 years ago, I can't imagine it would be more than 20 years at the total longest estimate before we have pretty cheap solar energy, given that nano tech is advancing close to computer technology, doubling every 3 years or even faster.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't think energy is the key to mankind's fate. Hydro-electric power, wind and solar power are all clean (if done right), and today's hedonistic, over-consuming society is doomed to failure anyway for other reasons.

[/ QUOTE ]

Today's hedonistic over-consuming society is more of a reflection of our energy availability than a cause of it; that is, if energy becomes less available, social norms will go back in the conservative direction.

Look at how automobiles have changed. There are far fewer SUV's and minivans on the road today than there were ten years ago. The same soccer moms that wanted to drive big SUV's now drive hybrids. Mileage is now much more of a selling point for cars than it used to be, and it's all because the costs have risen.

If the cost of living goes up, society will reflect conservative values.

[Friedrich888]

I think ponds and fleishman actually stumbled upon something. Research has continued quietly and there experiments have been reproduced.

[PLOlover]

[ QUOTE ]
Today's hedonistic over-consuming society is more of a reflection of our energy availability than a cause of it; that is, if energy becomes less available, social norms will go back in the conservative direction.

Look at how automobiles have changed. There are far fewer SUV's and minivans on the road today than there were ten years ago. The same soccer moms that wanted to drive big SUV's now drive hybrids. Mileage is now much more of a selling point for cars than it used to be, and it's all because the costs have risen.

If the cost of living goes up, society will reflect conservative values.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the point is that if we woke up tomorrow with 18th century energy means, most of the world would starve. Of course, after mega people died, things would get back to an equilibrium.