Scientists Achieve Important Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion

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.

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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'