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Science Sonofusion A Possible Success
Kristopher Kubicki (Blog) - January 30, 2006 12:34 AM

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13 comment(s) - last by nomagic.. on Jan 30 at 7:42 PM

Bubbles from a sonofusion experiment emit light only from the reaction of the bubbles collapsing on one another - Courtesy UIUC

Several scientists, originally debunked due to flaws in their experiment, believe they have once again proven the existence of cold fusion

PhysOrg is reporting that a team of researchers may have a concrete experiment proving their original cold fusion hypothesis using sonofusion.

Sonofusion, or bubble fusion, has been long hypothesized as a method of producing a fusion reaction on a microscopic scale. In a nutshell, scientists have expected to trigger sonofusion by directing high frequency sound waves at various types of liquids. When bubbles are introduced into the liquid, the high frequency of the sound waves causes the bubbles to collapse. In certain conditions, some scientists theorize that the bubbles collapse with such force that they actually trigger microscopic thermonuclear reactions.

Traditionally, scientists can detect the presence of fusion reactions by measuring the neutron count in the liquid after the experiment. In experiments in the past, scientists attempted to prove bubble fusion but have been thwarted by an inability to prove that neutrons were actually emitting from the bubble collapses rather than external sources.

Currently, the reaction takes many more magnitudes of energy to create than it emits -- as have all hot and cold fusion devices created to date.

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umm..stuff

By at80eighty on 1/30/2006 1:37:49 AM , Rating: 4

1) Last sentence:- change "will" to "have"

2) Are there any other theories that have a possibility of emitting more energy than it takes to create it?

3) Also - Is this a matter of threshold - i.e. all these experiments are done on a small scale - do you have to create a scenario of certain proportions to really get a bang?

/now by bang i dont mean " BOOM " :-)

RE: umm..stuff

By Zurtex on 1/30/2006 2:50:49 AM , Rating: 3

It all depends on subtle real life conditions really, but yeah theoretically speaking you can obtain vast amounts more energy that you put in. The energy is harnessed from what is contained inside the very matter itself, however how various liquids work under these conditions and what kind of sound frequencies are needed are only things that can be worked out in real life until we have a lot of actual working experimental data to extrapolate and prove some theories right and others wrong.

Or at least that was my understanding of it and reading the article that seems to be correct, this device was just used to gather experimental data, not to be practically used. More importantly by the sounds of it these are well respect researchers in their respected fields, not a bunch of crackpots as has often been the case when the media reports who ever has discovered whatever.

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RE: umm..stuff

By at80eighty on 1/30/2006 4:58:01 AM , Rating: 2

thanks for the reply. Besides even if this technology did come around in our lifetimes, i doubt HalibVron Inc(tm) would let it come to the benefit of the gen. public that easy

/endless free source of energy? why i never! :-)

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Great News.

By phaxmohdem on 1/30/2006 2:10:48 AM , Rating: 3

So this means we can finally enslave Cher & Celine Dion, and force them to scream at pools of water all day to provide the world with energy? I'm all for it.

RE: Great News.

By DigitalFreak on 1/30/2006 9:07:55 AM , Rating: 2

Nah. All they would need is Mariah Carey...

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let them keep dreaming

By Samus on 1/30/06, Rating: -1

RE: let them keep dreaming

By ZmaxDP on 1/30/2006 3:51:54 AM , Rating: 5

Not idiots I'm afraid. They aren't refering to an energy source that defies the laws of entropy. What they mean in this instance is that they are having to input more energy into the system to create the reaction than the system is outputting. As you're interpreting the comments neither steam engines or fission reactors would ever do anything at all. Ironically, those are the same claims made by advocates against the respective technologies before they were proven. As one of the earlier comments notes, matter contains energy. Fusion, Fission, Combustion, all are discoveries that have allowed humans to access this energy. For a time fission reactions were not self sustaining and required huge inputs of energy to produce. More than was released in the reaction. By carefully studying these unsuccessful attempts, scientists were able to discover the environments needed to support a sustained fission reaction. As a result we have energy generating fission plants. They are simply in the early stages of fusion research at the moment, and the systems aren't capable of producing a net surplus of energy. Given time, we might see it. Or not. Since this is uncharted territory we don't really know do we? However, it might be prudent to make sure we understand something fully before making comments and predictions about it. Just because you know a scientific law doesn't make you a physicist, or smarter than one either.

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RE: let them keep dreaming

By ninjit on 1/30/2006 4:33:27 AM , Rating: 3

quote:
i dont understand how physicists can be so intelligent and so stupid

I love it when people bash things they don't have a clue about - you appear to be the idiot, not those physicists.

The energy from a fission/fusion reaction comes from creating/breaking atomic particles, somewhat akin to the energy that comes from a chemical reaction due to creating/breaking molecules.

The problem with fusion so far, is that they need to apply a lot of energy to start AND maintain the reaction, so the net energy output is negative.
The holy grail is to make it self-sustaining - even if it needs a ridiculous amount of energy to start the reaction, as long as it keeps going (i.e with the right environment), so that it produces more energy than it needs to trigger the next reaction, then you're golden - you can tap the excess for our own uses.

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RE: let them keep dreaming

By at80eighty on 1/30/2006 5:03:27 AM , Rating: 2

Whoa Samus , you really showed those scientists with your post! we here at AT praise the heavens for your infinite wisdom delivered to us in such a rational manner

see, the thing is , current physics laws tell us energy is finite, however, those laws are made by observation - whats to say there exists some loophole to create a synergy-like situation when you're knocking atoms about?

the only thing finite is our knowledge - not the truth

/hell , this is MHO though - im just a finance student :-p

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RE: let them keep dreaming

By Plasmoid on 1/30/2006 5:57:00 AM , Rating: 2

They are putting in matter. Matter is energy. Thats kind of you know... Einstiens crowning achievment (and his most regreted but anyways)

Its not like fusion reactions dont already take place... what with hydrogen bombs and every star in the universe being proof. Course, they tend to be a tiny bit too hot to be suitable for your average power plant. This article is just saying the might have found a way to do it at relatively cold temperatures, not an article to explain the laws of physics. For that i suggest a good physics book.

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RE: let them keep dreaming

By knowyourenemy on 1/30/2006 6:16:20 AM , Rating: 2

Energy is the biproduct of the Fusion, so in my interpretation of it, the energy itself should have more variables to it than just having pure quantity... why not quality of the energy (much like coal versus oil)?

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