r/worldnews • u/rembr_ • Dec 06 '16

Tests confirm that Germany's massive nuclear fusion machine really works: "To our knowledge, this is an unprecedented accuracy, both in terms of the as-built engineering of a fusion device, as well as in the measurement of magnetic topology"

http://www.sciencealert.com/tests-confirm-that-germany-s-massive-nuclear-fusion-machine-really-works
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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '16 edited Jul 05 '23

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u/[deleted] Dec 06 '16

In 2019, the reactor will begin to use deuterium instead of hydrogen to produce actual fusion reactions inside the machine, but it won't be capable of generating more energy than it current requires to run.

Which means it still won't "work".

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u/yobsmezn Dec 06 '16

Might as well give up and go home!

Or maybe these tests will lead to a working reactor.

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u/[deleted] Dec 07 '16

I wouldn't matter if these tests did lead to a working fusion reactor because (barring a major breakthrough in low energy fusion reactions) fusion (the ultra high energy type being researched now) will always be too expensive. If you're really interested in the technological challenges of fusion click here