nuclear-news

Nuclear fusion – a step forward, but is it in a sensible direction?

 It was, most scientists accepted, a step towards nuclear fusion. Where
they differed was in what sort of step it was. Late last year the Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in the United States announced it had
achieved “ignition”. One hundred and ninety-two lasers had focused on a
single pellet of fuel. Inside that pellet hydrogen had become helium and
released energy using the same reaction that occurs in the sun. Crucially,
they got more energy out than they put in. In an announcement this week
they have repeated the feat and got even more energy. But what does it
mean? When the first success was revealed, one scientist called it a
“historic step”, another a “momentous step”. It was, variously, a
“significant step” and a “critical” one but also, another noted,
merely a “tentative step”. Now we have a second step towards fusion. Is
it momentous or tentative? And is it, equally importantly, a step in the
most sensible direction?

 Times 7th Aug 2023

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nuclear-fusion-power-energy-future-us-breakthrough-hdqhqhqdb

August 11, 2023 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | technology