[Mesuge]

This appeared in the PO news I think it has not been much discussed yet.
These guys from MIT claim to have Spheromak aka plasma toroids on the cheap.. So, are you ready to place order on your even bigger 2017 SUV model?

The science of spheromaks is a long struggle to get the stable plasmoid without all the heavy electromagnetic confinments like in Tokamaks.
This might be a legit breakthrough. But just the idea that we can even accelarate our energy consumption and pop growth makes me sick that would be the end of this planet at least as we know it in very short order..

http://pesn.com/2006/03/08/9600242_Sphe ... ma_Toroid/

[mididoctors]

let me get this straight.. I am not clear

a self organizing plasma configuration has been discovered.. is that correct?

does this plasma create temperatures that ignites fusion of some kind?

no actual device has been made?

Boris
London

[MacG]

A quick reading made me file this together with Zero-point energy and the Hydrino until further notice of a functioning prototype.

[Peak_Plus]

Happy to hear that they are <i>certain</i> that all this will work.

Just like all other News that we will have a new gadget in five years time proves the problems w/ Peak Oil. How long will it take to create a supporting superstructure in even half the US, even if their timeline is reasonable? How much energy will be used to produce these gadgets?

Super SUVs might appear in 50-70 years:-(

[bobcousins]

This time of year I am always careful to check the date on things. Many magazines publish a month in advance, so that the April issue comes out in March.

It is often difficult to believe some of the discoveries of even genuine science, so the odd annual ritual of hoaxes does not help. In general, I wait til at least April 2nd, before returning to normal levels of skepticism.

[Graeme]

Thanks for starting this thread, Mesuge. I posted the news item:

http://www.peakoil.com/article12744.html

I have to say I have made some blunders before in posting news items that turned out to be the work of con artists (Microhydro, is good at picking these out, and has criticised me for posting this one too). So I have tried to be careful. But this one doesn't appear to be in this category. Firstly, the invention is patented, the number and details are given in his references. Secondly, they have collaborated with colleagues at MIT, and published their mathematical theory (see comments in news article above for link). I wanted to expose their theory here for further comment from qualified physicists. If it really does look promising to them, then eventually venture capitalists will finance further development. Its not up to me to judge. Its really the fringe entrepreneurs like these people who could make a huge difference. Sometimes they are difficult to distinguish from con artists. You be the judge.
MacG, you are right there is no prototype.