this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026
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Science Memes

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[–] veniasilente@lemmy.dbzer0.com 22 points 6 days ago (20 children)

It's incredibly silly that even tho we advance the scale of power, with electricity, solar and even nuclear, all we use it is to boil water. We just can't seem to be able t build any a more advanced mechanism, it seems.

[–] Teppa@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (6 children)

I'd guess because its all heat energy in the end, so you need something that expands and compresses. The only alternative I suppose would be like sound waves, or mechanical energy, or whatever a battery does.

[–] veniasilente@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 6 days ago (5 children)

That does make sense, but then again, it's been 2000 years and we can't find something that boils, expands and compresses better than water? Or is t just because water is commonplace enough in comparisoan?

[–] Teppa@lemmy.world 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I always assume they had additives in closed loop systems, but you're right you'd think there would be something.

[–] YellowParenti@lemmy.wtf 3 points 6 days ago

Started looking into what liquids they are using and realized i was reading treatment chemicals they add to the boiler water. I know there's some reactors that use molten salt, but they are just used as energy transfer to.... the boiler full of water. Lol. The properties of water expansion from liquid to steam probably can't be beat or it's qualities of cheap, simple, good enough.

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