SCIENTISTS CLAIM BREAKTHR' H_ IN NUCLEAR FUSION A step closer to limitless clean energy RHYS BLAKELY $10-ilion experimentre Teased only about enough en tutinay move the fusion wil requires fry rdeased from a mclear fa Sonreaction, producing aight times more than previously achieved Inthe experiment, about world doser tothe dream of ally different kind tuo thirds ofthe energy deliv nearlimitlesscleanenergy | ofreactor. Experts said how- eredin the frm oflaser light through nuclear fsion. lever, tata threshold appea ‘wasreleased from nuclear fi Researchers atthe Law- | red tohave been reached, sionreactions. That means it rence Livermore National ‘Nuclear fusions the still fails asan energy source Laboratory in California ap- | processthat powers the san, butscientistsbaieveim eared to havedemonstrated | Unliketission,thereaction Stusioniguition"for the first | used innadear power plants, time—roughly the equiva- | itinvolvesjoining rather than lent ofstrikinga mateh that | splitingatomsso there is al leadstoasustainedfusionre | mostno radioactive waste actionoftekindsomatthe | Thoprocessrequirestamper- | Drew Willard, provements wil be possible. “Jeremy Chittenden, of the Centre for inertial Fusion, Studies at Imperial Colle Lotvion, saidone of sclence’s senior mechanical technologist, at Lawrence | toughest challenges had been centreof the san, aturesmaintained at more TinenraNatbed takraers uetiay inet. Asthe fist fision exper ‘Arthur Turrell,from the | than 100 million degrees co : menttodemonstratethe ig physics department at imperi- | sius-Italsoneeisareactorca- | morethanten quadrillionn | han,oneofthe physidsts__| tion spark, it would give “in alCollege London,whowas | pableof producing more ener- | wattsoffusion power for loo | overseeing the project,said._| spirationtoother laboratories otinvelvedinthework,said | gythanispunpedintoitto | trillionthsofasecond. Theen | “We'renot goingtoputpower | and start pe around the the Americanteam hadover- | startandcontainthefusion | ergy wasreleased when hy- | onthe gridany time soon—_ | world” re jeofthemest fea | reaction —somethingthat | drogen atomsinthefiel cap: | butthisisastepthatweneed: | Aidan Crilly,an associate somescientificandengineer- | hasranainedoutofreach. | sulewerefusedinto helium. | ed This putsusin anew atthe Centre for inertial Fu ingchallengesthat humanity | The latest experiment in- |" Itproduced temperatures | regime.” Sion Studie, said:“Reproduc hasever taken on”, Headded: | volved focusing a laser light | several imeshotter thanthe | Importantly, thefusionre | ingthe conditions atthe cen: “Thisphencmenal break- | generated by te National ig- | centre ofthesun,whilethe | actions appearedto besalf: | treofthesun willallowusto study states of matter we've never been ableto create in thronghbrings ustantalisng- | nition Fadiity on to a target | pressureplaced on the fuel Particles dar ly desetoa demonstration of pellet was twice that inside ec net energy gain from fusion star spetheated st thelabbefore, including reactions — just when the ‘This produced ahotspot “Isabugemilestone, | drogen: those foundin starsand planet needsit thediameterofahumantair. | wo'veboen workingonthis | tofseaswall-Thelaboratory | supemovae.” ‘There werecaveate:the | Theexpertment generated | furseyeare,”DebbieCalle- | broke its own recard for ener: Ths Tita, Landen