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Scientists Building World's Largest Laser to Ignite Sun-on-Earth

by Warren Riddle on April 29, 2010 at 09:20 AM

Last May, scientists completed the construction of the National Ignition Facility, a massive undertaking that includes the largest laser in the world. Even though the last year harbored significant doubts about the future of the project, researchers remain optimistic that they'll eventually use it to successfully solve the energy crisis.

CNN recently enjoyed a tour of the laser facility at California's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and listened to enthusiastic scientists effuse praise for the center's progress. The purpose and premise of the project is to concentrate 192 individual laser beams in hopes of detonating a "nuclear reaction so intense that it will make a star bloom on the surface of the earth." The energy farmers could then harvest the power created by the pseudo-star in order to fuel a commercial power plant.

The doubts and uncertainty which plague the project center on the question of feasibility and a dearth of funding. Scientists have already reportedly dropped an estimated $2 billion on the laser since 2005, and a project spokesperson admits that if the blast is initially successful, it could still take another 20 years before star-power would be commercially viable.

But, project manager Bruno Van Wonterghem told CNN of his group, "We hold a very high confidence that we will be able to ignite the target within the next two years." And, the positive ramifications of said ignition and successfully achieving controlled nuclear fusion are limitless. Using ions derived from just one gallon of salt water as fuel, the tiny earth-star could provide the "equivalent energy of 300 gallons of gasoline" while producing zero greenhouse gases.

Since some news organizations will undoubtedly attempt to raise fears that a sun-on-earth could destroy life as we know it, let's just hope that good ol' America can beat Europe's LHC to the cataclysmic punch. No destruction of the universe would be complete without proper jingoism. U-S-A! U-S-A! [From: CNN]

Tags: alternativeenergy, green, greentech, laser, LawrenceLivermore, LawrenceLivermoreNationalLaboratory, NationalIgnitionFacility, power, science, top, WorldsLargestLaser

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