I just found out that Dr Robert Bussard passed away a few days ago, and it makes me sad.
I didn't know Dr Bussard in any strong sense. To fill you in very briefly if you don't either, he was a leading physicist and researcher on (among other accomplishments) nuclear fusion technologies, who spent these last years working on a fusion reactor design which has the potential of providing cheap (much, much cheaper than tokamak based fusion) fusion energy. I met him very briefly when he gave a tech talk at Google on his research, and had the privilege of joining him and a few other googlers over dinner.
As I didn't know him, I cannot speak of his life. Given my background and education, I cannot speak of his scientific accomplishments with any authority. I just want to pay a small hommage to that man who spoke to us over dinner, of his life, his ideas, and of his hopes for the future. I remember the feeling of wonder and awe that I felt then, that I still feel it now when I think back to those moments. I can't really put words on it, but it makes me sad to know that the world now goes on without him.
# · Aucun commentaire