Nuclear Fusion Breakthrough Confirmed: California Team Achieved Ignition

newsweek.com ^ | 8/12/22 AT 9:20 AM EDT | JESS THOMSON ON

[BenLurkin]

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) National Ignition Facility (NIF) recorded the first case of ignition on August 8, 2021, the results of which have now been published in three peer-reviewed papers.

Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun and other stars: heavy hydrogen atoms collide with enough force that they fuse together to form a helium atom, releasing large amounts of energy as a by-product. Once the hydrogen plasma "ignites", the fusion reaction becomes self-sustaining, with the fusions themselves producing enough power to maintain the temperature without external heating.

Ignition during a fusion reaction essentially means that the reaction itself produced enough energy to be self-sustaining, which would be necessary in the use of fusion to generate electricity.

In this latest milestone at the LLNL, researchers recorded an energy yield of more than 1.3 megajoules (MJ) during only a few nanoseconds.

[MrLucky1966]

Yeah, right, they have been saying this about atomic fusion since the 1940's and 1950's where it is "just around the corner" for the optimists out there or at least "30 years away" for the less optimistic crowd. I know it will happen "one day" but I think "one day" is far, far in the future. I remember many Usenet debate about fusion in the 1990's and one poster by the name, Bob Kolker, said, "it is always 30 years away" and thus "Kolker's Law on Fusion" was born.

The who knows, maybe there is a conspiracy to hide real atomic fusion, but I have my doubts until there is proof.

[mikey_hates_everything]

Just around the corner…

[Scrambler Bob]

Thanks - I just remembered.

One day we got a lecture from RA Grace Hopper. She handed out ‘nanoseconds’, a piece of wire representing the distance electrons move in one nanosecond. About a foot long.

Mine is around in my pack-rat nest somewhere.

[headsonpikes]

“Just around the corner...”

Now with new improved inclusive pronouns!

“Mr.”??? Please!

[JohnnyP]

Free electricity is ALWAYS ten years away.

[Colorado Doug]

I suspect they had a mechanism to remove the fuel

Actually, out atmosphere will supply the fuel once they get it to self sustain.

[Palio di Siena]

Quicker than boiled asparagus

[oldvirginian]

Winner is....sima_yi!!!!
“Ten nanoseconds = one shake. (from the world of nuclear physics)”

I was actually hoping for a reference to the Manhattan Project. Not the movie but the actual 1940’s project that produced the atomic bombs.
Legend has it that in order to ensure security and secrecy those madcap, big brain Wonder Kids used 1 shake of a lamb’s tail to denote 10 nanoseconds. It was either secrecy or those high forehead types having a bit of fun.

Odd the things you pick up when snowed in for four days in a city far from home and nothing much on the motel TV but the History channel.

[BiteYourSelf]

Ignition is nothing, It’s sustained fusion that is significant.🤔

[BiteYourSelf]

Helium is a very useful element. It won’t be released into the air.🤔