Copy link for New Nuclear Fusion Test Overcomes “Exhaust Problem”
The U.K. Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has announced the promising first results of an experiment designed to overcome a major hurdle to harnessing the power of nuclear fusion.
"We built MAST Upgrade to solve the exhaust problem for compact fusion power plants," lead scientist Andrew Kirk said in a press release, "and the signs are that we've succeeded."
The challenge:Nuclear fusion happens when two hydrogen atoms merge into one, releasing a tremendous amount of energy.
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This is the same process that powers the sun, and it's the Holy Grail of clean energy here on Earth — it doesn't produce any carbon emissions or long-lasting radioactive waste, and it isn't beholden to environmental conditions, like wind and solar power.