Physics
A Simple Comparison
Submitted by Mike_B on Thu, 2009-04-02 01:00. Awesome | Physics | Science | FusionI've been asked to give a talk at my alma mater in a week. (Abstract!) I'm looking forward to it!
While reviewing my slides I'm putting together, I ran across these fun facts:
Highest elemental melting point: Tungsten (74W), ~ 3,400 C
Temperature of Sun’s surface ~ 6,000 C
Fusion reactor: ~ 20,000,000 C
This is why I like fusion. And preparing talks like this -- because it reminds me just how awesome it is to be working on real fusion devices. :)
Ever wonder what a plasma looks like at 33,000 frames/second?
Submitted by Mike_B on Wed, 2008-09-24 03:18. Awesome | Pegasus | Physics | Science | FusionI just found out in this last week, after being able to borrow a Phantom v. 7.3 camera from PPPL!
Shiny New Movie (2.5 M DivX-encoded AVI)
Pretty darn spiffy, huh? :) Now I just need to write some image processing software...
You Know You're In Graduate School...
Submitted by Mike_B on Thu, 2006-05-04 21:05. Funny | Grad School | Physics | Fusion... when your pen runs out of ink as a result of working on the math for your magnetohydrodynamics final. :)
As a followup to my last post, there has been an amazing response at a blog set up to thank Colbert for his performance. With more than 45,000 comments (the vast majority compliments/thank yous) in less than a week -- and growing rapidly -- it would seem that his performance struck a resonance with the American people!

