I have been reading these comments like yours for days. I am not picking on you. But the research program isn't being funded to build more efficient lasers. Those already exist. The lasers at the NIF are decades old and haven't been updated because it isn't the point of the research.
I'm baffled by the comments on this topic in particular. Do people just spout off in the comments now despite no background in the field? I don't really recall a time in the past where this was so prevalent on HN. I used to be able to trust that some industry expert would be in the comments section fact checking headlines and adding nuance, but now I see far too many contradictions, strange takes, and obvious red flags (see: "BIG CAVIET").
This always happens when physics is discussed on Hacker News (it is the only topic on which I consider myself an expert). In particular, there are some really weird takes on Quantum Information, in both directions.
I was a research librarian in an academic setting. So, I can do research and have an informed opinion. Now if I was to dispute the information then sure I need to have a masters or PhD in the field to have reasons why the vast majority is wrong. I cannot find a single article from an academic background stating that current laser technology will work. Nor do I see anyone that doesn't say decades away.
