Unexplainable The quest to build a star
Jan 5, 2022
Umair Irfan, a senior science reporter at Vox, dives into the exciting world of fusion power, the technology that mimics the sun's energy. He discusses the potential of fusion as a clean solution to the climate crisis and explores the ambitious projects, like the National Ignition Facility, striving for breakthroughs. Irfan highlights both the challenges and the recent advancements in the field, emphasizing the need for robust funding and international collaboration to make sustainable fusion energy a reality.
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Fusion Power Explained
- Fusion power, similar to the sun, offers clean energy by combining atoms like hydrogen to create helium.
- This process converts a small amount of mass into a large amount of energy, as explained by E=mc².
A Century-Long Pursuit
- Scientists have pursued fusion energy for over a century, since the 1920s.
- Despite the "fusion is always 10 years away" joke, researchers remain optimistic.
NIF: A Powerful Tool
- The National Ignition Facility (NIF) uses the world's most powerful laser system to trigger fusion.
- NIF's target chamber even served as the warp core in Star Trek Into Darkness.