Nuclear fusion is how stars (including our own Sun) create their energy, and scientists are hopeful it could one day be used as a clean, abundant energy solution here on Earth. There are no carbon emissions, most of the fuel required is widely available, and it's safe: if the reaction goes wrong, it simply peters out and stops.
You might have spotted the big challenge, which is trying to fit an entire star's worth of energy production inside a power plant. Two main approaches are being explored, one using magnets to create the incredibly high temperatures and pressures required, and one using lasers — which is where the startup Cambridge Heavy Industries comes in.
You might have spotted the big challenge, which is trying to fit an entire star's worth of energy production inside a power plant.
As TechCrunch reports, the company is currently operating in 'stealth mode' from a lab attached to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but now seems ready to share some details about the technology it's developing. The main innovations: fusion that's more efficient and needs less room than conventional reactors.