US scientists achieve 'historic' net gain nuclear fusion reaction: Report

The scientists at the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States have taken a massive step towards finding a renewable energy source that can help the world to replace fossil fuels. CNN reported that the researchers were able to achieve a net energy gain for the first time through their nuclear fusion experiment. Sources familiar with the project told CNN that it was a “major achievement” and it will bring them close to creating the perfect fuel alternative.

The nuclear fusion takes place when two or more atoms fuse to create a bigger one and this is the same process that takes place within the sun. The researchers in California used a process called inertial confinement fusion that involved a pellet of hydrogen plasma coming in contact with the world’s largest laser. While the result only lasted five seconds, it was able to produce more energy than what was used.

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According to Financial Times, 2.1 megajoules of energy was used to power the experiment. However, the fusion resulted in the production of 2.5 megajoules of energy – a gain that was considered ‘historic’.

US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is expected to make the official announcement about the “major scientific breakthrough”. The government has already invested resources in the project till now and this achievement follows in the footsteps of UK scientists who came up with a similar theory.

“They have worked on the design and the makeup of the target and the shape of the energy pulse to get much better results,” Tony Roulstone, from University of Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, said.