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[Scoops Novel]

Coming back to this is a fairly common habit on every science related subject, but what could we currently achieve with an sufficiently large power source? And what could we realistically achieve when we get that kind of power, say when the hydrogen fusion bsiness comes along or antimatter can be utilized, or even with a dyson sphere.

[10ebbor10]

Coming back to this is a fairly common habit on every science related subject, but what could we currently achieve with an sufficiently large power source? And what could we realistically achieve when we get that kind of power, say when the hydrogen fusion bsiness comes along or antimatter can be utilized, or even with a dyson sphere.

Antimatter isn't a power source, is a power storage medium. For now at least. You can't get it anywhere.

As for Hydrogen fusion. We might see a gradual decline in power prices, meaning large scale water desalination might become viable. Actually, the entire nuclear revolution all over again, hopefully without the radioactivity protests.

[i2amroy]

Lightsabers and invisibility cloaks are some notable things you could do with an "unlimited" power source. Both currently function but need to be connected to large generators in order to work well. There are also plenty of other things out there that become possible (from flying cars to high-powered rail systems to laser guns) assuming you have a compact, light, and powerful power source. In fact a power source like that is usually the main problem with sci-fi "technology". It's all possible, but it needs a power source that can handle it.

Also some other things we could do would be the ability to pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, make our own gasoline, and just about any other chemical reaction we want because "efficiency" is no longer a limitation.

[10ebbor10]

Lightsabers aren't actually possible. You can't make light stop like that. Sure, you could fake it with a strong magnetic field and plasma, but that'd give painfull results if the containment failed. (Because, for example, you smashed 2 against oneother).

Yeah, with large amount of power you can do nice things, which don't need to be as useless.

[miauw62]

A power source, or a sufficiently powerfull battery.
The two main things we need now are better power sources and better batteries.

[kaijyuu]

If you throw efficiency concerns out the window we can do pretty much anything. We will start having "heat pollution" issues though if we get this energy from thin air.

[miauw62]

Dualschok 3's are far less energy-efficient.
But then again, it's not much of a hassle to reload them, especially if you have two and are playing alone.

[10ebbor10]

A power source, or a sufficiently powerfull battery.
The two main things we need now are better power sources and better batteries.

One could argue that better energy efficiency beats them both.

[freeformschooler]

If you throw efficiency concerns out the window we can do pretty much anything. We will start having "heat pollution" issues though if we get this energy from thin air.

Wait, why so? I haven't heard of that at all. What does thin air mean here? An extraordinarily small energy input that grants an extraordinarily large energy output? Or a method of throwing the conservation law out the window?

[kaijyuu]

Or a method of throwing the conservation law out the window?

This is what I meant.

If we literally got energy from nothing, then we'd use it so much that the residual heat from all that new energy would start resulting in pollution.

[GlyphGryph]

A power source, or a sufficiently powerfull battery.
The two main things we need now are better power sources and better batteries.

One could argue that better energy efficiency beats them both.

Not really. The gains from improved energy efficiency are miniscule in comparison to the gains from improved energy production and energy storage density. This isn't to say energy efficiency is bad - just not nearly as good. Even 100% energy efficiency in a wide variety of situations would leave us short the production and density capabilities we need to do a lot of the stuff we want to do.

[miauw62]

BUT! What about 101% efficiency!?

Causing the laws of physics to be broken notwithstanding.

Exactly what kayjiu was saying?
(i misspelled your name, didn't i?)

[JackOSpades]

Blow up EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the only practical application, every other use you could find for unlimited power is inefficient as you end up producing infinitely more power than you use.

[RedKing]

Or a method of throwing the conservation law out the window?

This is what I meant.

If we literally got energy from nothing, then we'd use it so much that the residual heat from all that new energy would start resulting in pollution.

Nonsense. Alarmist pish-posh.

Now if you'll excuse, I need to go finish my fusion-baked waffles before my zero-point-energy heated bath gets cold. Oh wait, it NEVER WILL!

Yeah, if you think we use a lot of electricity *now*....I'm shuddering imagining the next generation of gaming rigs, with a small pocket fusion reactor for a power supply, and a cooling system that uses another fusion reactor just to run it. On the positive side, a rig like that might be able to run DF with no framerate death.


EDIT: Jesus Christ...I didn't even know they already make 1kW+ power supplies. D:

[Loud Whispers]

Coming back to this is a fairly common habit on every science related subject, but what could we currently achieve with an sufficiently large power source?

What could we achieve with good biofuels as an energy source? I say good, because currently the main source of biofuels comes from Americans and corn, Brazilians and soy beans and Canada with wheat.
These are bad. They are not foods eaten by mankind. And they compete with food crops.
Bad bad bad.
Not only that, the Brazilians are burning more rainforest to make grounds for these biofuels. It's not carbon neutral when you do that >:|

Good biofuels though; in Sri Lanka they're experimenting on a new source of biofuel! I forget the name though and my search fu is lacking, but it's a weed that's normally hated or else grown as a plant to provide shade for tea plants.

• Doesn't compete with food crops.
• Fixes nitrogen into the soil, INCREASES crop yields.
• Is an excellent biofuel (Sri Lanka could power themselves entirely on this stuff and become an exporter of it in pellet form, considerably cheaper than what they spend importing in coal).
• Hardy plant.
• Doesn't take up a lot of space.
• So very many tea :3
• Naturally grows across pretty much everywhere in the equator.
• Carbon neutral
• Does not compete with food crops, and is a good supplement for farming food crops.

Cons:

• Everyone North and South of the equator will pretty much have to import or else go nuclear.
• ???
  
• If something in mother nature acquired a taste for this, it could be devastating.

So... Carbon neutral lasers? :D That's a lot of energy. Mother nature is efficient at storing energy.