Major Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough Achieved

Recently, a team of scientists achieved a major breakthrough in a nuclear fusion experiment that released an unprecedented amount of energy, raising the prospect of obtaining unlimited clean energy in the future. The experiment was conducted at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), California, US.

Key Highlights of the Experiment

• The scientists applied laser energy on fuel pellets comprising deuterium and tritium (heavier isotopes of hydrogen) to heat and pressurise them at conditions similar to that at the centre of our Sun. This triggered the fusion reactions.
• The fusion reactions released positively charged alpha particles, which in turn heated the surrounding plasma.
• The ....