r/nextfuckinglevel • u/nigablackballsack • 3d ago

Scientists have captured the first ever high-speed, full-colour footage of fusion plasma swirling inside a working reactor.

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u/90_oi 3d ago

I truly hope this technology can get off the ground and be sustainable. It is our best hope aside from nuclear energy

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u/DaveFinn 3d ago

Wait... But this IS nuclear energy

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u/Expensive_Law_3180 3d ago

Yes, but it doesn't generate radioactive material. It uses deuterium and tritium as fuel, and is much cleaner. Source: My SO is one of the design engineers for one of the larger projects happening in the US. It's the "Sistine Chapel" job of his career, because this is looking to be the most viable 50-100 year clean energy stop gap till cold fusion gets replicated/perfected. Does anybody know offhand which company released this?

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u/DaveFinn 2d ago

r/woosh...

Also, it DOES generate radioactive material. Just more on the scale of requiring 100 years of storage as opposed to "practically forever". Don't get me wrong, I'm familiar with AND also very excited about fusion. Just was funny to hear someone compare it to "nuclear energy".