Wendelstein 7x Fusion Reactor Confirmed to Work

For decades scientists have pursued nuclear fusion that would generate energy in the same manner as the sun and other stars, but on Earth, essentially providing Earth with limitless clean energy, forever. 

Nature Communications, researchers confirmed that Germany's Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) fusion energy device is on track and working as planned. Known as a stellerator, generated its first batch of hydrogen plasma when it was first fired up earlier this year. The new tests basically give scientists the green light to proceed to the next stage of the process.

It works like this: Unlike a traditional fission reactor, which splits atoms of heavy elements to generate energy, a fusion reactor works by fusing the nuclei of lighter atoms into heavier atoms. The process releases massive amounts of energy and produces no radioactive waste. The "fuel" used in a fusion reactor is simple hydrogen, which can be extracted from water.

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Beam Me Up # 477 is now online

Episode 477 centers around a nice story, Stars in Her Eyes, by Vaughn Stanger which I run in the last half of the program. 

Articles this program included a heart felt good-by to John Glenn, books that may have changed the science fiction landscape and speaking of landscapes, in Cassini's final year, the probe will make many new close approaches to Saturn's major moon Titan which it will record as well as many of the inner rings which has been slated for the probe to dive through. This goes on until September of 2017, at which time it has been programmed to Saturn's cloud tops. 

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Astronaut John Glen Dies

wow talk about a gut shot, John Glenn NASA's first astronaut to circle the Earth has passed away at the age of 95.  The world is worse for the loss

The wikipedia has a great workup on Glenn

God speed John Glenn

Cassini's Final Year Will Not Be Idle

Did you know that NASA's Cassini has been working diligently in the Saturn system for 13 years!

Cassini will also end it's mission Sept. 2017 when it will dive straight into Saturn. 

This last year will hardly be idle.  Cassini still needs to complete projects like a flyby of Titan, Saturn's largest moon of which it has made over 125 close passes.

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Stories that Changed the Science Fiction Landscape

Listener Nelson sent me a fascinating web address that posits the 17 books that could have changed the science fiction landscape.

For me, I began reading SF in the early 70s, so the titles that really lit a fire under me were tomes like:

Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delaney - so few people read this powerful work by Delaney which deftly bent reality.... 

Foundation by Isaac Asimov - started me down the Asimov SF super highway which turned out to be a three book series.

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Dangerous Visions by Harlan Ellison - I still get flash backs from many of the stories from this and other stories in this volume and follow on volumes.

Dune by Frank Herbert - what else needs saying than just the powerful title. So many works today can pay homage to the ground breaking series of Frank Herbert's Dune.

Check out this article that references some of the most powerful stories in science fiction.                      HERE