Possible fusion in two reactors?

[FlashHero]

So...according to BBC the earthquake in Japan has caused fusion to exist. Fusion of what idk. But it exists now.

My question to you all is what do you all think will be invented soon with these new magical energy making reactors?

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698 Scroll the left hand column thing down till you see the one sentence update of it.
Another source: http://www.euronews.net/2011/03/11/japan-s-nuclear-emergency The reactor could heat up, there could be nuclear fusion at its heart, and leakage. The consequences could be quite serious.

 

[That_Swedish_Guy]

Nope, we have no idea how to do it properly. Having said that, I'd love for it to become reality.

 

[Dorian]

0419: Possible fusion in two reactors - AFP, quoting government

I'd be less skeptical to believe this if this was a scientist reporting on this and not the government of Japan. Not that I hold a grudge against Japan, but governments have a nasty habit of hyperbole.

That being said, if fusion has been achieved, then this earthquake is the single greatest thing that has ever happened to humanity.
Yes, I do realize how counter-intuitive that sounds, but fuck you, it's damn well true.

 

[FlashHero]

Yep...maybe now we can have reallll Gundams

 

[LoFr3Eq]

It probably got lost in translation if they meant fission, which occurs in nuclear reactors.

 

[Souplex]

Fusion already exists. It's the principle H bombs use.
Sustained fusion, and efficient fusion are what elude scientists.

 

[Uber Evil]

0419: Possible fusion in two reactors - AFP, quoting government

I'd be less skeptical to believe this if this was a scientist reporting on this and not the government of Japan. Not that I hold a grudge against Japan, but governments have a nasty habit of hyperbole.

That being said, if fusion has been achieved, then this earthquake is the single greatest thing that has ever happened to humanity.
Yes, I do realize how counter-intuitive that sounds, but fuck you, it's damn well true.

Yeah. Isn't fusion supposed to create immense amounts of energy?

 

[Chamale]

That's a reporting error. Large-scale fusion refers to smaller atoms combining into larger ones, and fusion of anything with an atomic number above 28 can't happen except in a supernova or particle accelerator.

Fusion of hydrogen has already been achieved by humans, but it does a lot more damage than a mere steam explosion that doesn't even pulverize a nuclear reactor.

EDIT: Having looked at the headlines, I think it's clear that the BBC was confused by an unclear report. The AFP reported that there had been a hydrogen explosion there - caused by electrolyzed hydrogen undergoing a chemical reaction with oxygen. The BBC reported possible hydrogen fusion, apparently thinking of the atomic reaction that happens at the core of the Sun, or the inside of an exploding H-Bomb.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Yeah, I'm calling bullshit. I sincerely doubt that the partial meltdown of a reactor has created miracle technology. If that nuclear plant leaks radiation, things are going to get a lot worse very quickly.

And people wonder why I hate nuclear power.

 

[Dorian]

Yeah. Isn't fusion supposed to create immense amounts of energy?

From what I learned in my chemistry class, it appears that nuclear fusion creates energy and creates its own fuel in the chemical reaction, which essentially makes a constant release of energy.

A miniature sun, if you will.

 

[Dorian]

And people wonder why I hate nuclear power.

Spoiler: Enjoy

 

[Rayne870]

If it's true tomorrow you will see a shit ton of media attention about it. I sincerely doubt it is though.

 

[IrradiatedFish]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't discussed this sort of thing in a while, but I'm pretty sure fusion already 'exists'. The problem we're having is getting out more energy than we put into it.

EDIT: Woops, Souplex beat me to it.

 

[Uber Evil]

Yeah. Isn't fusion supposed to create immense amounts of energy?

From what I learned in my chemistry class, it appears that nuclear fusion creates energy and creates its own fuel in the chemical reaction, which essentially makes a constant release of energy.

A miniature sun, if you will.

That's righteous. I wish we could actually use it reliably.

 

[FlashHero]

Added another source..because EuroNews agrees as well .

 

[Verlander]

The whole western news coverage of that earthquake has been diabolical. Hopefully this will expose newsmakers as the con merchants that they actually are, but probably not.

There is no nuclear threat-they've prepared too well.

There is no huge structural collapse-they've prepared too well

There is no political crisis-they've prepared too well.

The ONE thing that Japan HAS proved is that they are far more adapt and reliable in case of emergency than Europe or North America.




If they could create energy though, teleport devices all the way

 

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah. Isn't fusion supposed to create immense amounts of energy?

From what I learned in my chemistry class, it appears that nuclear fusion creates energy and creates its own fuel in the chemical reaction, which essentially makes a constant release of energy.

A miniature sun, if you will.

No, that's not how it works. Yes, the same process of fusion goes on in the sun.

Fusion happens when atoms fuse together to form new atoms. Generally, this refers to two hydrogen atoms (1 proton each) coming together to form helium (2 protons). The reaction doesn't create it's own fuel, that sounds like a perpetual energy machine to me. However, the reaction requires an enormous amount of energy to begin, but even more energy is generated, meaning the reaction will continue as long as there is hydrogen to fuse (in a star, most of the hydrogen won't get fused, fusion only occurs deep within).

The helium atoms is slightly less massive than the two hydrogen atoms, the difference being released as energy equal to the difference multiplied by the square of the speed of light.

Alot more energy is released in hydrogen fusion than in fission (which is splitting an atom into 2, the combined mass of which is, again, slightly less than the original), and hydrogen is alot more abundant than the heavy elements people use for fission, so people have long been interested in creating fusion reactors. Currently, however, the only known way to achieve fusion is by sticking material capable of fusion onto a fission bomb, to increase the yield.

 

[Adam Galli]

And people wonder why I hate nuclear power.

Spoiler: Enjoy

Possibly the greatest song ever.

 

[Paksenarrion]

We can only hope that this unplanned miracle fusion happened near the Gundam statue, resulting in the first sentient giant mecha.

 

[Internet Kraken]

There is no nuclear threat-they've prepared too well.

The fact that their dumping seawater into the reactor suggests that they haven't prepared well. It reminds me of when they dumped sand into the reactor in Chernobyl.