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Technology / Why so Hot for the JET Reactor?

« on: 23/02/2022 14:06:15 »

I recently heard about the JET Fusion Reactor and the latest "promising" experiment. I've known that they have been working on these things for many years. One thing that has peaked my curiosity is the temperatures they are working with. 100-150 million degrees and "TEN TIMES THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CENTER OF THE SUN!!!". JET is using Tritium, Deuterium and Beryllium in their work which are much heavier elements. The amount of power needed to generate 150 million degrees and the pressure required is enormous! For enough juice to boil 60 kettles for 5 seconds?
Why not do as the Sun does? Convert H to He at the temperature/pressure of the center of the Sun. The Sun seems to do okay with that amount of temperature and pressure, and has done for about 4.5 Billion years.

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Physiology & Medicine / How do 'bugs' become Drug Resistant?

« on: 04/02/2022 19:20:58 »

If an individual gets treated for an infection and is given antibiotics to get rid of it, how then does that drug become resistant? We know that overuse CAN cause resistance, but HOW does that process work? If each individual is a separate entity, how does the bug learn to be resistant?
I realize, many times that not all the bug is killed by the drug and that the bodies own immune system can finish the job, but can the bugs communicate between individuals or something?

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Physiology & Medicine / Re: Can ascending or descending affect visual perception?

« on: 22/05/2018 19:30:26 »

What I mean by "Brain Clank" is that sensation of all of a sudden forgetting how to use a stair for a second or two. You look down and think about the stairs, and suddenly your legs forget that you were climbing (or descending) stairs or it seems that the stairs somehow shifted in space.

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General Science / Re: What would the speed of light look like?

« on: 30/04/2018 15:31:11 »

this came out a few years ago..

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Can you believe this photo of a single atom?

« on: 18/02/2018 15:27:47 »

No. Because it isnt. Article I read mentions that the picture is a long exposure. The atom is smaller than the actual wavelength of the light. What is seen is the reflection off the atom as it shimmies and moves within the magnetic field. Yes, an impressive photo- but a photo of an atom? No

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Would two black holes merging create a gamma ray burst (GRB)?

« on: 17/10/2017 14:04:13 »

I'm gonna bump this one up there a bit...

AHA!!!! Latest info finds all that stuff, including a visual of two Neutron stars creating a black hole (possibly). Not exactly 2 BH's, but close enough for me!!

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Martian wind pressure compared to Earth?

« on: 07/09/2017 14:28:09 »

I posted this one after seeing a couple of Mars movies, and the protagonists always battling a dust storm with ferocious winds blowing about and tearing things apart. I always figured that would need a wind speed of nearly supersonic proportions or something.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Martian wind pressure compared to Earth?

« on: 06/09/2017 15:46:24 »

We know that the Martian atmosphere is about 1% the density of Earth's at sea level. There are references to the wind gusts cleaning off the solar panels on the various rovers. But how strong would a gust of wind on Mars need to be to actually be felt by a human on the surface. If the density is 1%, would a 100kph "wind" on Mars "feel" like a slight breeze to a human on the surface? It might be "moving" at 100KPH, but there is less actual stuff moving, right?

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Would two black holes merging create a gamma ray burst (GRB)?

« on: 02/03/2016 16:41:35 »

Would not an event such as 2 massive black holes combining create a MASSIVE GRB? If not, why? And if so, are they going over data from the event date to find if such an event DID occur? Matching the findings of GW's and a massive GRB at or near the event would certainly lock down position and give credence to the GW's being generated. I would have expected an Earth Shattering Kaboom... where's the Kaboom?

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Why is the International Space Station not in a geostationary orbit?

« on: 08/12/2015 20:56:16 »

Cost, access and logistics I suspect.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Did the Universe inflate faster than light because there was no light?

« on: 03/09/2015 18:24:46 »

Recently, I saw a documentary about the beginning of the Universe. In it, it was mentioned that for the first several hundred thousand years (or something), before any new elements were created through atomic processes, there was no light. If this is the case, then there would be NO limit on speed to corral the expansion of the Universe, correct? No light, no speed limit OF the speed of light to hold it back. Once light is established, then it gets the limits.

Or- unless you smartie pants use the term "speed of light" to refer to the speed of ANY energy, then it's a moot question.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Do any images exist of Earth transiting across the Sun?

« on: 20/07/2015 19:44:56 »

We have photos of Venus and Mercury transiting the sun.. Are there any photos from outer Solar System probes that have captured an Earth transit of the sun? TIA

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Stars in a telescope?

« on: 15/11/2014 03:48:30 »

Fair enough... But am I correct in thinking/remembering that we have tried to image Betelgeuse? I remember seeing an article with something about variations in the color or atmosphere...

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Stars in a telescope?

« on: 14/11/2014 19:40:39 »

If we can get fantastic detailed pictures from objects 7500 light years away (like the "Pillars of Creation"), why can't we get good detailed images of a nearby star such as Proxima Centauri that's only 4.5 LY away? Using proper filters as we do when photographing our own sun, why aren't we oohing and ahhhing over the sunspot activity on other stars?

I THINK there have been attempts at Betelgeuse, but resolution seems to be shaky at best.

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: What does a proton weigh in the LHC? (2nd of 2)

« on: 03/02/2014 16:34:53 »

Okay- I brought up the question since many documentaries on physics refer to the fact that as speed increases, the mass(weight, whatever) increases as you approach the speed of light. That it is "impossible" to travel at the speed of light because the the mass becomes so great, etc... a sort of a "catch-22" situation develops. Maybe a simpler comparison would be- "IF a proton weighed 1oz at it's static point, what would it weigh at the speeds developed in the LHC? Is it an exponential increase as it speeds up?

Apparently, a photon has no mass, so it CAN travel at the speed of light, thus bypassing the rule. As for the 3 quark construction, I am aware that they are part of the fundamental building blocks of particles like protons, etc... Does your question mean that some Q's have no mass, thus negating some of the effects? I'm no Rocket Surgeon, but these little niggling questions always pop into my head, even though they have absolutely no impact on my everyday life... other than being ultimately responsible for it. 

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Re: Where is the "comfy" spot in space? (1st of 2)

« on: 30/01/2014 21:02:16 »

Yes, aside from planets- I was speaking of space itself- NOT on a planet or moon or asteroid. How far from the sun would there be a place that is a "comfortable" temperature?

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / What does a proton weigh in the LHC? (2nd of 2)

« on: 30/01/2014 19:43:56 »

Since mass increases with speed (apparently), while being accelerated to 99.999 percent of the speed of light, what does one of those little protons weigh when they collide?

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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Where is the "comfy" spot in space? (1st of 2)

« on: 30/01/2014 19:40:50 »

At what point in the solar system would the temperature be comparable to "room temperature" while in the sunshine? The "Goldilocks Zone" is always mentioned, but that would apply to a planet with a protective atmosphere allowing water in liquid form. Astronauts need to be protected from both the searing heat and frigid cold by using spacesuits. Leaving out the 'frigid cold' part, where could I lounge in just a pressure suit without protection from the heat?