Fusion reactors on Earth require creating supernova conditions. Is that really a good idea? Instead of meltdowns we might have to worry about whole mountains exploding into the sky.
Fusion reactors on Earth require creating supernova conditions.
No, the conditions that produce a supernova are far more extreme than what’s needed for fusion. There is a connected between the two processes, though. It’s the energy from fusion that prevents a supernova from occurring in a star. It’s only after fusion has run its course that the core finally collapses to atomic nucleus density, triggering the supernova. The energy release is also far greater, up to 10% matter to energy conversion, as opposed to only 0.7% in hydrogen fusion.