The author of Zero looks at the messy history of the struggle to harness fusion energy .
When weapons builders detonated the ... read full description
When weapons builders detonated the ... read full description
reviews
Jan 07, 2009
Zed
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This book tells the tale of fusion research, describing the convoluted path researchers have taken to get to our present point, and highlighting how tenuous the predictions of limitless power have been all along the way (at present the belief is that we will have a working fusion reactor design by 2030--wishful thinking given the pattern of prediction to date!). While the book is quite informative, the underlying theme is disturbing--the authors working assumption is that fusion research is tai
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Apr 12, 2011
Austin
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I picked this one up as a companion to the book I read on Uranium and fission. In this case, the book has the same starting point - the Manhattan Project during world war two - but continues to tell the story of the American weapons program after the war as they turner their efforts from nuclear fission weapons (uranium and plutonium bombs) to fusion weapons (thermonuclear or hydrogen bombs). After the development of the first weapons, thoughts quickly turned to nuclear fusion as a power source.
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Sep 19, 2009
Joe
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This book is just about the perfect thing to read for a quick, easy explanation and history of fusion and its role in society.
The book starts off talking about the politics and development of nuclear weapons. This section, like most parts of the book, doesn't go very deep into the subject -- but then again, a full treatment has been the subject of other (very good) books. The next chapter talks about the physics of fusion reactions and weapons. I think it does a great job of balan More...
The book starts off talking about the politics and development of nuclear weapons. This section, like most parts of the book, doesn't go very deep into the subject -- but then again, a full treatment has been the subject of other (very good) books. The next chapter talks about the physics of fusion reactions and weapons. I think it does a great job of balan More...
Jun 10, 2009
Mike
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Another really well-researched (fusion seems to be a pet interest of the author) and well-written book. I found it interesting that the Mr. Seife has migrated from being a science reporter to a journalism professor. He certainly is qualified both from his experiences as a reporter and the quality of his work.
One of the things I learned from this book is that we are still decades (or more) away from a viable method of using fusion as a power source.
Before reading it, I k More...
One of the things I learned from this book is that we are still decades (or more) away from a viable method of using fusion as a power source.
Before reading it, I k More...
Apr 15, 2011
Warnie B.
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Really interesting history of fusion science, and the narrator is kind of great--he totally sounds like a 1950s TV or radio announcer. Seife starts with the building of the first fission weapons and the desire to build more powerful fusion bombs up through all the many different ways scientists have attempted to come up with a way to create a sustainable, zero energy fusion reaction--so far, and for the forseeable future, without success. Several folks have complained about the way Seife goes in
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Jul 27, 2010
Todd
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‘Sun in a Bottle’ examines nuclear fusion – the process by which multiple atomic nuclei join together to form a single heavier nucleus and a release of energy, and the force that powers the sun. Scientists were first able to create a fusion reaction in the form of a hydrogen bomb in the 1950’s and ever since have been looking for a more beneficial use of the phenomenon as a source of clean energy. Charles Seife describes the history of these efforts, and as the subtitle alludes, their repeated a
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Jan 17, 2010
Jeremy
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A very engaging read, it offers a compelling history of the quest for obtaining power from fusion. It builds in a logical order, providing the necessary background to make all the information attainable, and breaks down the various methods in an easily understandable way. The author occasionally becomes the topic of the book, but generally in a way that doesn't detract from the overall story.
My only disappointment was to finish the book and realize just how unlikely fusion power re More...
My only disappointment was to finish the book and realize just how unlikely fusion power re More...
Mar 20, 2009
Joshua
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In 1939, Hans Bethe submitted a scientific paper which revealed how the stars, and our sun, convert matter into vast amounts of energy, just as Einstein had theorized, by fusing light elements together. Ever since, the governments of the industrialized nations have spent billions of dollars in searching for a way to bring that energy to earth; the holy grail of generating virtually unlimited energy from cheap, abundant hydrogen. Except for the uncontrolled destructive power of the hydrogen bom
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Aug 01, 2011
Chip
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I can now tell the difference between a Stellerator and a Tevatron! Going into this book I knew a bare minimum of the history of the Fusion race, but was pleasantly surprised to learn there was much more to the story. An especially timely book, as CERN comes online and there are tantalizing clues that the Higgs boson has been "found" (if you can call a blip on a graph "found"). There is much space devoted to "cold fusion" which, if it were possible, would be ligh
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Jan 31, 2009
Evan
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Covers everything you ever wanted to know about fusion energy, and why we've spent hudreds of billions of dollars over 60 years trying to harness fusion for peaceful purposes, with almost complete failure. The explanation of the physics involved is very simple, and is detailed enough to give a clear understanding of what's happening inside modern tokamaks and laser fusin devices. Also covers the cold fusion fiasco in detail, which reads as a cautionary tale for researchers in any field for compl
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Aug 18, 2010
Adam
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'Sun in a Bottle' by Charles Seife is not just about the history of fusion-This book is about the lives of those affected by fusion & about the state of the world as fusion technology progressed throughout the years. This brutally honest account of the rise and decline of fusion research is gripping and educational, as Seife begins by explaining how fusion works as well as the early projects that prefaced the Fusion Age (such as the Manhattan Project and Project Plowshare, which was a plan to us
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Nov 07, 2010
Ari
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A nice history of fusion, from Teller through the National Ignition Facility. Fairly negative about fusion, very negative about Teller. The author was a science journalist for Science during the cold fusion debacle, which he gives a behind-the-scenes description of. One of the better books I've seen about how science really works.
Jan 05, 2011
David R.
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This one started well, and on point, but too rapidly became a vehicle inordinate assaults on the "cold fusionists" (I only quibble about the amount of attention given these incidents). What was odd is that Seife, despite making a substantial case for ending the fusion Grail quest, never reaches the obvious conclusion that it's a doomed quest.
Nov 28, 2008
Victor
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I thought the book had an excellent start, but disagreed with the tone the book took toward the end, and especially its conclusions. The author seems to think believe that we somehow can't achieve reliable and useful fusion because of the hubris of many scientists that work on the problem. It's as if the human difficulties of politics, ego, etc are the main barrier rather than the monumental technical difficulties.
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Aug 25, 2009
Andy
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A quick read. The book comes on strong but breaks down as it dwells too long on the example of cold fusion as a breakdown in the peer review process. Overall, a good book if you want a quick introduction to the technology and the historical context in which the competing programs begun.
Jun 18, 2010
Converse
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Fusion research…we're always 20-30 years from successful power production from nuclear fusion. The author covers both the magnetic, & starting in the 1970s, laser approaches, as well as the cold & bubble fusion controversies
Nov 23, 2008
Andrew
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My favorite new word: Tokamak. Other than that I am surprised that as someone with a casual interest in atomic physics, (mostly the pop culture branch) that much of the recent history in this book was new to me. The Simpsons (et al.) has failed me again.
Feb 15, 2010
Fred
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Governments continue to pour billion annually into the scientific efforts to master fusion as a cheap source of energy. Seife makes a strong case for viewing this expensive search as nothing more than "wishful thinking." Very easy read for non-scientists.
Jun 18, 2009
Simon
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This book was great! Learned a lot about the science of nuclear fusion and bombs and related topics. However, it will crush the hopes of the wishful thinker in regards to our world solving an energy crisis.
Jul 27, 2011
Brandur
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A brief history fusion research starting with the invention of fusion weapons, progressing to attempts at creating sustainable hot fusion, then moving onto the cold fusion scams.
May 17, 2009
Jim
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Nearly as infuriating as reading Legacy of Ashes, how do we end up throwing billions of dollars at unbalanced zealous crackpots who happen to also be educated? The literary style was a little dry, but certainly not clunky and amateurish that you find in a lot of the genre. I'd definitely recommend it for anyone interested in the history of the Cold War and "big science."
Jan 04, 2011
David
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If you want to be able to understand why nuclear fusion is a pipe dream read this book. Or if you just want to be educated and entertained
Jul 15, 2010
Mr. Waffle
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This was a really interesting book. It was really easy to understand and the ideas and stories and experiments described in it were cool. It got a little dull near the end, though, when it was talking about cold fusion and bubble fusion.
Aug 21, 2010
Mark
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The falures to acheive fusion. Nice little portait of Edward Teller as the Mad Bomber that he was, tho
Feb 20, 2010
gargamelscat
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Clear concise explanations without the vague popular science handwaving that is so prevalent and entertaining.
Before this book I had been wondering if the multi-billion Euro ITER project was going to finally do the business and it answered that question - not impossible but bloody unlikely.
At least the effort will keep those physicists involved off the streets.
It also really brought home that science too is a blood sport.
Before this book I had been wondering if the multi-billion Euro ITER project was going to finally do the business and it answered that question - not impossible but bloody unlikely.
At least the effort will keep those physicists involved off the streets.
It also really brought home that science too is a blood sport.
Nov 23, 2011
BAKU
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Not as good as ' Decoding ' but does give you some idea of what's going on ( primarily chapter 9 , which should have been longer )
Nov 18, 2011
Phil
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This was a thoroughly enjoying (yet depressing) overview of the state of fusion research. It provides a good explanation for why sustained power positive fusion is always '30 years in the future'.
After I read this book I was left somewhat depressed. Apparently fusion is basically a pipe dream, and we would be better of developing fission to supply the energy needs of our planet. Oh well.
After I read this book I was left somewhat depressed. Apparently fusion is basically a pipe dream, and we would be better of developing fission to supply the energy needs of our planet. Oh well.
