Fusion breakthrough: NIF achieves 8.6 megajoules, shattering previous record

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust Forward-looking: While the path to practical fusion energy remains long, the recent advances at the National Ignition Facility have emboldened researchers. The facility's ongoing progress is a testament to decades of persistence – and a sign that the age of controlled fusion ignition is no longer a distant dream. The National Ignition Facility (NIF), based at the US Department of Energy's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has steadily increased the amount of energy produced in its fusion experiments, according to information obtained by TechCrunch. The facility, which made headlines in 2022 for achieving the world's first net-positive fusion reaction, has since pushed the boundaries of what's possible in controlled nuclear fusion. A source with direct knowledge of the experiments told the publication that recent tests at NIF have generated energy yields of 5.2 megajoules and, more ... Read full article.