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