Nuclear Fusion: US Scientists Reach New Milestone

Recently, in a major scientific breakthrough, scientists in the US for the first time achieved a net gain in energy from a nuclear fusion reaction. Net energy gain has been an elusive goal because fusion happens at such high temperatures and pressures that it is incredibly difficult to control.

Nuclear Fusion: Nuclear fusion is defined as the combining of several small nuclei into one large nucleus with the subsequent release of huge amounts of energy. It is the same process that powers the stars, including our Sun.

Advantages of Nuclear Fusion Energy: Unlimited Energy: Controlled nuclear fusion can provide an unlimited amount of clean energy.

• No GHG Emission: Nuclear fusion does not emit harmful molecules like carbon dioxide or any greenhouse gas (GHG) into the atmosphere.
• No Radioactive Wastes: Nuclear fusion does not produce any high-activity, long-lived radioactive waste.
• Inexhaustible Source: Fuels used for nuclear fusion are abundant and nearly inexhaustible. Deuterium can be distilled from all forms of water; in every cubic metre of seawater, there are 33 grams of deuterium. Tritium is a fast-decaying radioelement of hydrogen and can be produced during the fusion reaction through contact with lithium.
• Safety: As fusion reaction does not use fissile materials like uranium and plutonium, the risk of proliferation is minimized.

Significance: The experiment represents a milestone in the decades-long quest to harness fusion energy.