According to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, researchers looking for a clean source of energy have successfully generated net energy gains in fusion reactions twice since December.
According to a Lawrence Livermore spokeswoman on Sunday, researchers at the California-based lab replicated the fusion ignition breakthrough on July 30 in an experiment at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which resulted in a larger energy yield than in December.
The representative stated that the final results are still being examined.
An large quantity of energy is produced when two lighter atomic nuclei combine to generate a heavier one in a nuclear fusion reaction. Scientists have been working to generate fusion on Earth for decades. They have known for about a century that fusion powers the sun and are searching for an endless supply of clean, safe energy to help slow global warming.
Fusion reaction technology has the potential to be used to generate power on an industrial scale.
It was “a major scientific breakthrough decades in the making that will pave the way for advancements in national defence and the future of clean power,” according to the US Energy Department.
By directing a laser at a fuel target, two light atoms fused together to form a denser atom, releasing energy in the process.
According to the Energy Department, that experiment temporarily accomplished fusion ignition by producing 3.15 megajoules of energy after the laser delivered 2.05 megajoules to the target.
In other words, according to the department, it generated more fusion energy than it did laser energy.
Nuclear physicists outside of the lab believe the result will be a huge step forward, but much more work needs to be done before fusion can be made economically feasible.
