"We are sidestepping all of the scientific challenges that have held fusion energy back for more than half a century." An Australian fusion startup called HB11, a spin-off from the University of New South Wales, claims to have found a way to revolutionize current nuclear fusion technology, potentially laying the groundwork for a new era of power generation — without running the risk of a nuclear meltdown. The startup’s leadership doesn’t mince words. “We are sidestepping all of the scientific challenges that have held fusion energy back for more than half a century,” director Warren McKenzie told New Atlas . Fusion energy, as its name suggests, harnesses the energy released from when atomic nuclei fuse together, as opposed to fission, which splits nuclei apart to generate electricity. Fusion has been the holy grail of energy production for decades, but scientists have yet to achieve a reaction that spits out more energy than it needs to get going — though they’re starting to get close . If that sounds too good to be true, it’s worth noting that there does appear to be drama around the claims. A press release about the technology on the New South Wales University site […]
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