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laser fusion
Trends
- 1Researchers propose heating plasma first in fusion ignition approach▼A novel path to fusion ignition: Heat first, then add fuel
Scientists have outlined a new route to fusion ignition in which the fuel is heated before being added, rather than heating everything together. The approach, described in new research covered by science news services, could offer an alternative to existing laser-based ignition methods as labs worldwide race toward practical fusion energy.
- 2Technologies for interstellar flight are already being studied▼No starship is sitting on a launchpad — but the technologies for interstellar flight are already being studied. Laser sa
No starship is waiting on a launchpad, but researchers are actively developing the building blocks for interstellar travel. Work under way includes laser-driven light sails, fast precursor probes, fusion propulsion concepts, and missions that would use the sun's gravitational lens as a telescope. Engineers are also designing long-duration spacecraft able to survive decades in flight, laying groundwork for a first voyage to another star.
- 3
Researchers at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) in South Korea report a new method for measuring neutrons produced by laser-driven fusion reactions that does not rely on counting individual neutron events. The approach could make diagnostics for fusion experiments faster and more practical. Details of the technique and its accuracy have not been widely reported yet.