Experts Raise Doubts Over Elon Musk’s Hyperloop Dream

About 10 months ago, CEO of Tesla Motors and Space X Elon Musk asked some engineers from both companies to help him invent a new form of transportation. Yesterday, he unveiled the design for what he calls the "hyperloop," which would convey passengers from San Francisco to LA in about half an hour. It involves propelling 28-passenger "pods" through a tube at speeds of up to 760 miles per hour. The pods would be propelled by something called a linear motor, and they would ride on a cushion of air to minimize friction.

"It's far-fetched," says John Hansman, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. "But Musk is a smart guy, so some of the things he's doing make reasonable sense." Read more...