Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough

Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by phtrivier on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @04:59AM (#30916764)

I searched the article for the letter "Q", and did not find anything. Any idea of how usefull the laser can be ?

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Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by Retric on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @06:36AM (#30917329)

This is at approximately Q=0.00000 stage, it also skips the lasers and simply fires a projectile.

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Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by shapefrog on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @05:02AM (#30916788)

Q predicted this?

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Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by ArnoVW on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @05:19AM (#30916892)

to quote Wikipedia:

A fusion energy gain factor, usually expressed with the symbol Q, is the ratio of fusion power produced in a nuclear fusion reactor to the power required to maintain the plasma in steady state. The condition of Q = 1, when the power being released by the fusion reactions is equal to the required heating power, is referred to as breakeven, or in some sources, scientific breakeven.

TL;DR: high Q = free unlimited energy!!!! low Q = "fusion is 30 years away"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fusion_energy_gain_factor

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Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by thwoawayyowser on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @06:15AM (#30917208)

And undefined Q = "Let's get some press before our next funding round" /s

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Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by justsomehnguy on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @07:12PM (#30926344)

> TL;DR: high Q = free unlimited energy!!!! low Q = "fusion is 30 years away"

The real LPT is always in the comments.

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Re:Tencent-Backed UK Startup First Light Achieves Nuclear Fu... by MrWiffles on Tuesday April 05, 2022 @06:59AM (#30917452)

No, but he’s always watching. The trial never ends…

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