The U.S. leads the world in fusion energy research. It can't squander that lead like it did with microchips
Fusion energy stands as a beacon of hope in a world beset by rising energy demands, extreme weather and energy security challenges. The same process that powers the sun, fusion would provide abundant, safe, clean and reliable energy. The winner of the fusion race will win a secure energy future for humanity. In fusion, two light nuclei combine to form a single larger one, while converting excess mass into a tremendous amount of energy. The U.S. has led the way in fusion research and development since World War II, when amid a cold war weapons race, scientists first pursued safely harnessing this energy. In 2022 scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) became the first to demonstrate fusion "ignition" in a laboratory—generating more energy out of a fusion reaction than the laser energy fired onto the experiment. This monumental result established the fundamental scientific feasibility of fusion as an energy source. As the only country in the "ignition club," the U.S. must build on this success to assure its leadership in fusion to lead the world's energy economy into the 22nd century. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Why? Because advances getting us closer to fusion power are now coming, rewarding us for our long investment. The fusion ignition breakthrough relied on the inertial confinement approach to fusion, in which powerful lasers heat and compress small pellets of fusion fuel to extreme temperatures and densities exceeding the center of the sun. Ignition has now been repeated several times since on the NIF, with recent results producing about four times as much energy out than energy in. Another approach to fusion, called magnetic confinement, uses…