Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Please set me straight
Date: Aug 13, 2:03 pm
Poster: Jason

On Aug 13, 2:03 pm, Jason wrote:

The following quote was taken from:
(http://www.songs.com/noma/philo/fusion/index.html)

"Dr. Farnsworth reported that his team achieved a self­sustaining reaction on several occasions ... and could repeat the effect. He once invited his wife to watch a test­run of this feat. As power was applied to the Fusor the neutron­reading meter achieved a steady threshold and there remained ... until a slight increment of power was applied. Then the needle went off the scale. Dr. Farnsworth cut the applied power ... but the needle remained in place for thirty seconds or more as the reaction continued. "


Now I am by now means a nuclear physicist. But I do like physics and when I read the above quote I got all worked up. Self-sustainable fusion is something we all want and I given the impression that is what we had many years ago. Granted it may have been a reaction which only self-sustained for several seconds, but something is better than nothing.
It seems to me that if this type of technology was here 50 years ago, why haven't we made any advances with it? Shouldn't this be one of the most funded areas?