The Intelligence from The Economist Precious joules: a fusion-energy result
Dec 14, 2022
Join Alok Jha, science correspondent, as he delves into the recent breakthrough in nuclear fusion—a crucial step towards clean energy, though challenges remain. John Priddo discusses the Respect for Marriage Act, a significant win for same-sex marriage in America amid ongoing cultural debates. Hamza Jalani shines a light on the struggles of Darjeeling tea growers facing climate change and illegal trade, exploring the impact on this cherished industry. It’s a captivating mix of science, social progress, and agriculture!
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Fusion Power's Potential
- Nuclear fusion, the process powering stars, offers a limitless clean energy source.
- Recreating these conditions on Earth is challenging due to the extreme temperatures and pressures required.
Fusion's Challenges
- Mimicking the sun's core, fusion experiments like NIF use lasers to implode hydrogen pellets, initiating fusion.
- The challenge lies in achieving sustained energy release exceeding input, which has been elusive until recently.
NIF's Breakthrough
- NIF achieved "gain", releasing more energy than the lasers put into the fuel pellet, like kindling catching fire.
- However, the total energy used to power the lasers far exceeded the output, highlighting the inefficiency.