Tracking Fusion

This article highlights that fusion holds out hope for an abundant supply of clean energy, fueled by forms of hydrogen drawn from seawater, with no emissions into the atmosphere of CO2, no oxides of nitrogen or sulfur, and no mercury or cadmium. Talk of a future hydrogen economy has raised the profile of fusion research, and the field has gotten a couple of boosts during the past few months. The arsenal is aging, and the major powers have agreed not to set off any nuclear weapons, even for safety testing. By studying the physics of inertial confinement fusion and the response of weapon materials placed near a fusion fuel capsule, the caretakers of the bombs and missiles can better understand the aging process. Fusion energy has been a long time coming and still has a long way to go. There are skeptics who question whether it can happen at all.