[AndyJackson]

The theory is fine in the sense that it works in stars, the sun and nuclear bombs. But it does not scale to smaller scales. It used to be thought that it was a matter of technology, but it actually seems to be running into theoreticial limitations that were not recognized then and are not even well understood now, having to do not with nuclear physics, but turbulent [magneto]-hydrodynamics.

It's like the bumble-bee problem. According to classical aerodynamics it can't fly. But then it was discovered that it operates in a different regime and can fly. But then you discover that you can't scale up a bumble-bee to an airplane.

[TexasGator]

“It’s like the bumble-bee problem. According to classical aerodynamics it can’t fly. But then it was discovered that it operates in a different regime and can fly. But then you discover that you can’t scale up a bumble-bee to an airplane. “

I am not sure what you mean by ‘different regime’?

[TexasGator]

” But then you discover that you can’t scale up a bumble-bee to an airplane. “

SST is a prime example of scaling up.