Scientists have, for decades, been trying their utmost to recreate nuclear fusion. Indeed, it’s the Holy Grail for physicists, as it has the potential to be a zero-carbon, combustion-free, limitless source of cheap energy that will end our dependence on oil and coal. It is also not as costly or high-maintenance as alternatives such as wind and solar power. The raw ingredients are deuterium (also known as heavy hydrogen), found in sea water, and tritium (super-heavy hydrogen), which occurs naturally in the atmosphere. These fuse to produce helium, a stable and clean gas. Unlike fission, there is no dangerous radioactive waste to deal with. But endless failures to achieve full fusion in labs have led to the joke that ‘fusion is the energy source of the future — and always will be’. So one can only imagine the shock — and shrieks of laughter — that recently rippled through the scientific community when Richard announced that the technology for nuclear fusion would soon be available in his rented warehouse on a business park on the outskirts of Milton Keynes.
Daily Mail 14th June 2019 read more »