The US National Ignition Facility (NIF) has achieved fusion ignition once again, building on its landmark 2022 success. This achievement, powered by hydrogen within a diamond capsule, signifies a major advancement in fusion research.

Located near San Francisco at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, the NIF employs powerful lasers to manipulate hydrogen atoms, yielding surplus energy. Despite not yet generating self-sustaining power, this milestone offers invaluable insights for refining the technology.

Fusion researchers have long pursued energy surplus, crucial for plasma fusion. The NIF's tiny chamber, stimulated by 192 lasers, emulates the Sun's core conditions, fostering nuclear particle rearrangement and helium production. This marks ignition when the released energy maintains fusion.

In a recent Financial Times article, the NIF confirmed a repeat ignition experiment on July 30th. Detailed results will be shared in peer-reviewed publications and conferences.

Initial findings report 3.5 megajoules of energy, surpassing December's 3.15 megajoules. However, practical implementation requires significantly more powerful lasers pulsing rapidly.

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Source: Sciencealert.com