Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm announced a significant breakthrough in fusion research at a news conference. This event was hosted at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California on Tuesday, December 13, 2022.

On December 5 at 1:00 AM local time, scientists at the laboratory successfully conducted an experiment involving a small pellet of hydrogen fuel. They used lasers to hit this target with 2.05 megajoules of energy, resulting in the release of approximately 3.15 megajoules of energy. This achievement marks an important milestone in fusion research, as it managed to create a fusion reaction that generated more energy than it consumed—a goal pursued by this scientific field for over fifty years.

Despite this progress, the goal of utilizing fusion technology for sustainable energy production is still in the future. The main advantage of fusion energy lies in its potential to produce power without emitting greenhouse gases. However, several more advancements are necessary to realize this potential.

Regina G. Barber discussed these developments in two NPR stories, providing insight into the experiment’s outcomes and the steps needed to transform fusion into a viable energy source. These stories were edited by Amina Khan, Ally Schweitzer, and Gabriel Spitzer, and produced by Gisele Grayson.