Channel: New Scientist

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: nuclear fusion reactor startupfusion reactorfusion energynuclear fusion reactorclean energyprojectile fusionfusion powerfusionfirst light fusionrenewable energynuclear fusion breakthroughoxford fusionnuclear powernuclear fusionpower plantprojectile

Description: Nuclear fusion has been achieved using a new projectile technique that accelerates fuel to 200 times the speed of sound. First Light Fusion, a UK based start-up, used a hyper-velocity gas gun to launch a projectile at a specially designed target. This in focuses the energy, accelerating fusion fuels, such as deuterium, to over 70 km per second, starting the fusion reaction. Fusion is a process where two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy. The team behind the method hopes to create a power plant that could generate around 150 megawatts of electricity by the 2030s. Subscribe ➤ bit.ly/NSYTSUBS Get more from New Scientist: Official website: bit.ly/NSYTHP Facebook: bit.ly/NSYTFB Twitter: bit.ly/NSYTTW Instagram: bit.ly/NSYTINSTA LinkedIn: bit.ly/NSYTLIN About New Scientist: New Scientist was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”. Today our website, videos, newsletters, app, podcast and print magazine cover the world’s most important, exciting and entertaining science news as well as asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe, and what it means to be human. New Scientist newscientist.com #fusion #projectilefusion #firstlightfusion