elevator

Came across this on another board - the Space Fountain. Had a read of it, but it doesn't feel right. I don't know enough physics to work it out, but it looks to me like it would be fine until you tried to use it to lift something, at which point the energy costs would increase dramatically...

link I love this quote: Well gee kid, that's because PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT COMPLETE GODDAMN FREAKING IDIOTS DON'T TRY TO JAM 24 PEOPLE INTO AN ELEVATOR!!! At least, I think that's why.

I understand that scientists are estimating that we are about 5-10 years away from having the carbon nanotube composites necessary to build a space elevator. It seems that all news articles I read act as if building the elevator is a snap. (comparitavely - they all say that the carbon nanotube...

There's a nice little BBC article about exotic future engineering projects at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3691711.stm. However, there's a lovely journalistic gaffe near the start: An elevator all the way to the stars - most impressive. How long would it take to travel 4+ light-years...

That's what these guys reckon, only 15 years this could be a reality http://www.isr.us/SEHome.asp?m=1 Seems plausible to me. So when do we start? The sooner we gat started.....

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=757&e=10&u=/ap/20030817/ap_on_re_us/brf_blackout_elevator The usual.