Reply To: Barack Obama on Energy

[DerekShannon]

Yes, JShell, those comments about future rounds of funding requiring much larger sums *before* proving feasibility could be best applied to EMC2, Trialpha, and my buds at Prometheus II. But focus fusion could still fall into that pattern, since there’s plenty of grey area between “absolute failure” and “proof of breakeven before the current funding runs out.”

If the results land in the grey area, it could mean the current approach isn’t quite right, but there is enough promise or new ideas to keep going….for more cash. Or as with any new science experiment a serendipitous discovery could send everything in a completely new direction.

Careful on using scientific success in one area to mean that a scientist is correct in all others. Einstein wasn’t exactly right about the cosmological constant…er, until it turned out he was! But the
EPR Paradox is a good example.

Similarly, Percival Lowell was pretty much wrong about both “Planet X” and the canals of Mars, but his efforts still led to the discovery of Pluto!

If an alternate theory of cosmology turns out to be incorrect as an explanation for the origin of the Universe, but can be applied to a new energy technology that saves the world, that would still be a pretty good turn of events.