Scientists Achieve , Important Breakthrough in , Nuclear Fusion.
'The Guardian' reports that scientists have reached
a breakthrough in nuclear fusion: generating
more energy than it took to create the reaction.
Nuclear fusion is achieved when light elements like
hydrogen are smashed together to create heavier
elements, a process which creates a huge burst of energy.
The process, which is at work
in our sun and other stars,
has the potential to unlock , "near-limitless, safe, clean" energy.
Since research in the process began
in the 1950s, researchers have been
unable to achieve positive energy gain. .
The 'Financial Times' reports that researchers at the
National Ignition Facility (NIF) managed to generate
2.5 MJ of energy after spending 2.1 MJ to ignite the process.
Dr Robbie Scott, of the Science and Technology
Facilities Council’s (STFC) Central Laser Facility
(CLF) Plasma Physics Group, called the results , a “momentous achievement.”.
Fusion has the potential to provide
a near-limitless, safe, clean, source
of carbon-free baseload energy, Dr Robbie Scott, of the Science and Technology
Facilities Council’s (STFC) Central Laser Facility
(CLF) Plasma Physics Group, via 'The Guardian'.
The scale of the breakthrough
for laser fusion research
cannot be overstated, Dr Robbie Scott, of the Science and Technology
Facilities Council’s (STFC) Central Laser Facility
(CLF) Plasma Physics Group, via 'The Guardian'.
According to 'The Guardian,' experts warn that while
the results are promising, the technology still has a long way to go before it can compete in the energy landscape.
To turn this into a power station
we need to develop simpler methods
to reach these conditions, which will
need to be more efficient and above all
cheaper in order for inertial fusion
to be realised as a fusion power source, Prof Jeremy Chittenden, Professor of plasma physics at Imperial College London, via 'The Guardian'.
To turn this into a power station
we need to develop simpler methods
to reach these conditions, which will
need to be more efficient and above all
cheaper in order for inertial fusion
to be realised as a fusion power source, Prof Jeremy Chittenden, Professor of plasma physics at Imperial College London, via 'The Guardian'