#BREAKING #fusion #news: The National Ignition Facility (@LLnL) has reported a *twenty-five times* increase in energy released as compared to their 2018 world record for laser fusion: 1.3 MJ out for 1.92 MJ in, a 67.7% gain in energy!! 🤯
llnl.gov/news/national-…
#TheStarBuilders
This is MASSIVE. It’s so close to energy breakeven that it’s now almost inevitable that NIF will make history and be the first to hit 100%, showing that #fusion is not just a power source for the stars, but that it *could* work on Earth too. Here I am touring the NIF with Bruno:
I’ve long rated the chances of NIF of getting there 1st, simply because they have a machine that—in principle—has the size and science to do it right now. (I give serious love & attention to this giant laser & the people behind it in #TheStarBuilders)
The team at the NIF & their partners around the world deserve every plaudit going for overcoming some of most the fearsome #science & #engineering challenges humanity has ever faced in delivering this result. This will embolden nuclear fusion efforts the world over!
And the planet certainly needs new sources of carbon-free energy, as the recent #IPCC report highlighted all too painfully. (Reminder though: this is a scientific breakthrough and nothing to do with commercialisation--that's another tough challenge down the road)
#COP26 #scicomm
If you’re interested in #nuclearfusion and #energy, & want to know more about the scientists and science behind this momentous result, you can find more in #TheStarBuilders, available in UK:
weidenfeldandnicolson.co.uk/titles/arthur-…
& RoW:
simonandschuster.com/books/The-Star…
I’ll leave you with an excerpt:
Shouting news out to folks who cover fusion: @Ben_Morris1, @rincon_p, @MattMcGrathBBC, @dpcarrington, @philipball, @DanClery, @LizzieGibney, @clivecookson, @m_windridge, @sharonudasin
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