[ExI] cost of SBSP and thorium

[John Clark]

On Fri, Aug 17, 2012 Eugen Leitl <eugen at leitl.org> wrote:


> > alternative fuelcycle breeders don't exist.
>

Thorium reactors don't exist today, but they did 40 years ago, the idea
wasn't pursued because they aren't much good for making materials for
bombs, and because they already had reactors that worked pretty well in
submarines and the Navy didn't want to confuse the issue and dilute
resources with something radically new, and because, for reasons that have
nothing to do with science, no technology is more resistant to change than
nuclear technology.

> If they can be made to work, which is doubtful,


Have the laws of physics changed in the last 40 years?

> they will not arrive on time to make a visible difference. Ditto solar
> power satellites.


Eugen, are you really so certain that bio fuel is so very different in this
regard that you refuse to even consider a alternative? What if it turns out
that its not quite as wonderful as you think?

  John K Clark
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