Major breakthrough on nuclear fusion energy - BBC News

European scientists say they have made a major breakthrough in their quest to develop practical nuclear fusion - the energy process that powers the stars.

The UK-based JET laboratory has smashed its own world record for the amount of energy it can extract by squeezing together two forms of hydrogen.

If nuclear fusion can be successfully recreated on Earth it holds out the potential of virtually unlimited supplies of low-carbon, low-radiation energy.

The experiments produced 59 megajoules of energy over five seconds, more than double what was achieved in similar tests back in 1997.

#BBCNews

[GeorgeCollier]

Really impressed by the camera man being able to stand there.

[rzsa]

*"The power of the sun in the palm of my hands"*
Never thought that would become a reality

[kevincrites]

The power of the sun in the palm of my hand!

[magnaviator]

It's hard because in the sun it is a combination of vast pressures (due to gravity) and temperature. We cannot simulate the pressure here on earth, so we can compensate by boosting the temperature to something like 7x the temperature of the sun's core. That's why it's hard. You have to boost the temps to that and hold it, and do it efficiently enough so that the energy released by the fusion is more than what you put in to reach those conditions.

[-gaugeshotgundude]

Just like Doc Ock once said,

"The power of the sun, in the palm of my hand."

[neonnsteel]

Unless I'm mistaken and it's a technical term, 50 kettles of energy is the most British thing one could say to explain the energy output.

[queueeeee]

The weird audio "scratches" between transitions are really annoying

[DougRM]

We should as a society praise and cover these researchers and scientists as much as we cover these useless influencers, that would inspire kids to pursue science and ultimately move us forward faster

[bolognafc]

As a nuclear engineer and former plasma physicist: keep up the good work, this will change everything for future generations!

[Giveitaresssstt]

Scientists: “Unlimited energy!”

Energy Companies: “Double the price because it’s unlimited”

[Neeek_]

The possibility of a resonance cascade scenario is extremely unlikely.

[tokyotokyo]

Thank you scientists. You are doing great work! Hope my children or grandchildren will be able to benefit from this.

[cueball]

The Fusion Reactor will be up there with agriculture, the Internet, combustion engines and the wheel as one of the most important inventions of all time

[tuanseattle]

For these physicists that was the best 5 seconds of their lives so far.

[deville]

I watched the first 10 seconds of this video like 20 times, that's unbelievable

[lion_pancakes_]

I know this is British, but I loved “only enough power to power 30 kettles”.

[windriver]

"enough power for 60 kettles"

Glad to know that Americans don't have a monopoly on measuring things with stupid units.

[WTFoi]

Hats off to all the hard working Scientists ❤️🇱🇰

[asrolsiti]

Even its hotter than the sun, it still can't defeat the cameraman with his camera

[wartem]

I remember when the leader of the windmill demonstraters said that their main concern with windmills was that they wings require so much electricity to spin around.