'Sun in a Bottle: The Strange History of Fusion Energy,' Charles Seife, Oct. 28

October 7th, 2009

On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, 4:00p.m-5:30 p.m., the Center for Science Writings at Stevens Institute of Technology will present a talk by author and New York University Professor Charles Seife. Titled "Sun in a Bottle: The Strange History of Fusion Energy," the talk will be held on the Stevens campus in the Babbio Center for Technology Management, Room 122, located at River and Sixth Streets in Hoboken, N.J.

A professor of science journalism at NYU and an author of three previous popular books on physics, Seife will discuss the elusive quest for fusion energy, which forms the topic of his latest book.

For more than 50 years, physicists have sought to harness nuclear fusion, which makes the sun shine and hydrogen bombs explode. True believers keep promising that fusion will solve our energy needs, while skeptics say it's time to pull the plug on this frustrating research program.

"In an era of enormous energy instability, global economic contraction and looming crisis, 'Sun in a Bottle' should be essential reading for every policymaker and legislator in Washington. Its central message is delivered simply and succinctly: 'It is an unfortunate fact of nature: Unless you are creating fusion in a hot dense plasma, you are extraordinarily unlikely to produce excess energy. Too many phenomena conspire against you.'" - Martin Sieff, The Washington Times.

The event will be hosted by Center for Science Writings Director John Horgan and is free and open to the public.

Source: Stevens Institute of Technology