We need more power!

How gladdening to read a Guardian comment thread* that seems mostly supportive of something as progressive as Nuclear Fusion (I've yet to read all the comments tho . . 375 at last count).

As many have pointed out, much more money goes into warfaring, cosmetics and even mobile phone ringtones. The Manhattan Project sums are an interesting comparison; irrespective of the dollar cost apparently just 0.4% of US GDP brought the A bomb to fruition. If I recall correctly ( . . hmm?) 0.4% of England's GDP would provide 10 ITERs and fund them for a decade.
This is important as ITER is a research unit - a one-off - with each stage of testing yielding vast amounts of information requiring further investigation as well as complications and frustrations then lengthy shut down periods for rebuild.

At a discussion with the 250 New Towns Club, Robin Stafford Allen, Mechanical Engineer at Culham, yearned for such a scenario akin to Formula 1 racing where different teams developed their ideas based on a common vehicle so as to develop the project as a whole and speed the day when this awesome technology comes on stream. Instead we have scientists grubbing around on eBay for spares!

Unfortunately, too many politicians are short term in their outlook and lack the imagination to see society develop hence the rise of misanthropic snots . . erm . . greens.

When once we believed in space travel and humanity unbound current ideas have us cower beneath rocks and scared of the future.

We need more power; we need Nuclear Fusion or whatever new developments the process brings. After all, there's all those re-runs of Coronation Street (or Crossroads if you're Robin Stafford Allen . . )


(*Damn! - 'Comments closed')