The Promise and Challenges of Nuclear Fusion

This chapter explores nuclear fusion as a clean energy source, contrasting it with the dangers of nuclear fission while highlighting recent breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility. It discusses the immense potential of fusion for limitless energy and the significant engineering challenges involved in replicating the extreme conditions needed for fusion. The chapter also examines different methodologies, including the magnetic confinement method seen in ITER, and emphasizes that despite recent progress, practical fusion energy solutions remain decades away.