Fusion controversy rekindled. A report that researchers have reproduced nuclear fusion - the energy source of the Sun - in an experiment divides scientific opinion. [BBC News: sci/tech]

I thought this was the whole point of peer review, that other people could attempt the experiment and either duplicate or refute the results. The big thing will be if/when we can set up the reactor to generate more energy than it takes to run it.

9:58:53 AM    

Solar sail flight delayed until September. The Planetary Society recently announced that it will delay the launch of its solar sail... [spacetoday.net]

Having had just read The Mote In God's Eye and The Gripping Hand in the past week, I'm looking forward to seeing if/how this technology will work. The idea is that the sail catches the light emitted from the sun, and as the photons hit the sail, they will propel it along. Details here.

9:43:46 AM