WASHINGTON: The decade-long quest to harness fusion, the energy that powers the sun and stars ended as Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced a ‘major scientific breakthrough’. Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California for the first time produced more energy in a fusion reaction than was used to ignite it, something called net energy gains the Energy Department said.
According to the officials, the achievement will pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power. “This is a landmark achievement for the researchers and staff at the National Ignition Facility who have dedicated their careers to seeing fusion ignition become a reality, and this milestone will undoubtedly spark even more discovery,” Granholm said in a statement.
The first controlled fusion experiment in history was conducted on December 5th. Researchers at LLNL use the massive National Ignition Facility- 192 Ultra powerful lasers all pointed into a thimble-sized cylinder filled with Hydrogen. LLNL director Kim Budil described it as “is one of the most significant scientific challenges ever tackled by humanity.”