In the News

In the News — 2025

June 23, 2025
No one has made fusion power viable yet. Why is Big Tech investing billions?
Breakthroughs in fusion have triggered a frenzied race to harness a clean energy source that has eluded scientists for decades. (Washington Post)

June 20, 2025
Simulation of capsule implosions during laser fusion wins Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Outstanding Paper Prize
Computational physicist Jose Milovich of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and colleagues have been awarded the 2025 Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (PPCF) Outstanding Paper Prize for their computational research on capsule implosions during laser fusion. (Physics World)

June 19, 2025
Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M
Over the last several years, fusion power has gone from the butt of jokes — always a decade away! — to an increasingly tangible and tantalizing technology that has drawn investors off the sidelines. (TechCrunch)

June 19, 2025
New Players in Photonic Chips, Laser World of Photonics Prepares for Record Attendance
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Amazon Web Services leverage the power of AI to enhance operations at the National Ignition Facility. (Photonics Spectra)

June 19, 2025
Fusion Power’s Tipping Point: Inside the Science, Engineering, and Global Race to Harness a Star
“Nature does not give up her secrets easily.” Such are the sentiments of NIF Senior Scientist John Lindl, summarizing the centuries-long quest to tap nuclear fusion a force that energizes the stars here on Earth. (Modern Engineering Marvels)

June 16, 2025
Another £2.5 billion into fusion but hardly any progress
The government has committed an additional £2.5 billion to the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) project, raising fresh questions over the viability of nuclear fusion as a near-term energy solution. (Energy Live News)

June 15, 2025
Major powers are ‘upgrading existing weapons and adding newer versions’
A US government photo shows a technician inside the preamplifier support structure of the National Ignition Facility of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. (The New Zealand Herald)

June 15, 2025
A primer on nuclear fusion
After more than 60 years of research, The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at U.S. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) achieved fusion ignition in December 2022. (Electronics 360)

June 13, 2025
LLNL, AWS Unveil AI Partnership to Advance National Ignition Facility Operations
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services to integrate artificial intelligence into the operations of the National Ignition Facility, a center for laser-based fusion research. (ExecutiveGov)

June 13, 2025
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory partners with AWS on AI troubleshooting system
The US' Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) for an AI-driven troubleshooting and reliability system at LLNL's National Ignition Facility (NIF). (Data Center Dynamics)

June 13, 2025
DOE National Labs Launch New AI Tools for Operational Efficiency
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) National Ignition Facility (NIF) partnered with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop an AI-driven troubleshooting and reliability system to support its workforce. (GovCIO Media & Research)

June 13, 2025
UK dumps £2.5 billion into fusion pipe dream that's already cost millions
The only known facility to achieve fusion ignition - the point at which the fusion reaction becomes self-sustaining - is the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California. (The Register)

June 12, 2025
Livermore Lab Breaks Fusion Record Again
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) achieved fusion ignition for the eighth time on April 7, producing a net-energy gain from a controlled fusion reaction. (The Independent)

June 12, 2025
LPC and LLNL Join Forces To Offer an Eight-Week Laser-Optics Workshop
Laser and Electronic Optics Technicians (LEOTs), critical to the operation of LLNL’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) and other laser systems, are in short supply. (The Independent)

June 12, 2025
Lawrence Livermore and Amazon Integrate AI at NIF
When Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) conducts a high-energy-density physics experiment, a tremendous amount of high value data is generated in the blink of an eye. (Photonics Spectra)

June 12, 2025
YouTuber Creates "World's Strongest Handheld Laser." It's Capable Of Punching Through Titanium
In several demonstrations, the laser burned through copper, melted titanium, created rubies, melted tungsten, and set a diamond on fire. (IFL Science)

June 12, 2025
LLNL and AWS Partner on AI Integration at the National Ignition Facility
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a data factory — when NIF’s high-energy-density physics experiments go off in the blink of an eye, valuable scientific data is the product. (HPC Wire)

June 11, 2025
AI and Laser Fusion: AWS Integrating Generative Models into Livermore Lab's National Ignition Facility
What will be unique about the AWS AI system is the integration of generative AI capabilities on operations at the federally run ignition facility. The NIF is where Livermore engineers announced a milestone of nuclear fusion ignition in December 2022. (EnergyTech)

June 10, 2025
AWS and national lab team up to deploy AI tools in pursuit of fusion energy
AWS and LLNL’s National Ignition Facility are working together to build an AI-driven troubleshooting and reliability system, and have already deployed generative AI capabilities into the fusion lab’s operations. (GeekWire)

June 8, 2025
U.S. Satellite Spots Mysterious Nuclear Tech Over China That Could Reshape World Power
The central chamber is twice as large as the U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF), which was in the news in 2022 for reaching the first net-energy fusion reaction. (Wonderful Engineering)

June 5, 2025
Energy Sec. Wright tours Lawrence Livermore lab
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory celebrated Memorial Day week by hosting Energy Secretary Chris Wright. (Pleasanton Weekly)

June 5, 2025
How AI is playing a major role in national security
America’s national labs have always been at the forefront of scientific developments and breakthroughs, so it should come as no surprise that artificial intelligence is an integral part of their scientific process and American national security. (Scripps News)

June 5, 2025
Xcimer Hires Tech Industry Pioneer and Forms Science and Technology Advisory Board as Inertial Fusion Company Accelerates Growth
Xcimer also announced today the formation of its Science and Technology Advisory Board to review and advise on the company's technical progress, technology, and roadmap for deployment of inertial fusion power plants. (TMCnet News)

June 4, 2025
Driving innovation: The UK’s advancements in plasma science and fusion energy
Dr Kate Lancaster, Chair of the Plasma Physics Group at the Institute of Physics, reflects on the UK’s plasma science landscape, discussing innovative projects, applications, and collaborations that position the country as a leader in the field. (Innovation News Network)

May 29, 2025
Mayor Highlights Scientific Achievements, Budget Success, Quality of Life in Livermore
Mayor John Marchand celebrated Livermore’s historic past and facts that support a prosperous future during the annual State of the City Address on May 22 at Garre Winery. (The Independent)

May 27, 2025
How Powering U.S. Communities With Fusion Can Fight Inflation
Here in California, consider the evidence from the National Ignition Facility (NIF). (Forbes)

May 25, 2025
A New Star in California: How NIF Shattered the Fusion Record
Shortly after 4 a.m. on April 7, 2025, a bank of 192 ultraviolet laser beams raced down the National Ignition Facility’s evacuated beamlines. (Medium)

May 25, 2025
High-power lasers produce liquid carbon for first time, advancing fusion ablator design
Such microscopic insight matters for inertial-confinement fusion (ICF). Present ignition designs, including the National Ignition Facility’s record-setting shot, rely on a high-density carbon (diamond) shell that surrounds and symmetrically compresses a deuterium-tritium target. (Notebook Check)

May 25, 2025
“U.S. Spy Flight Exposes”: China’s Secret Construction of a Massive Fusion Laser That Could Revolutionize Global Energy and Military Power
China's unveiling of a massive laser fusion complex in Mianyang, eclipsing the American National Ignition Facility in scale and ambition, has triggered global intrigue and concern over its potential to revolutionize clean energy and enhance nuclear capabilities. (Visegrád Post)

May 24, 2025
Beyond Displays, Liquid Crystal Optical Devices Harness Rugged Dynamics
Two prominent inertial confinement fusion research facilities in the U.S. — the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) at the University of Rochester and the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — use liquid crystal devices. (Photonics Spectra)

May 23, 2025
US Gets World’s Most Powerful Laser at 2 Petawatts
A gymnasium-sized facility at the University of Michigan has just fired the most powerful laser pulse in American history, reaching 2 petawatts—that’s 2 quadrillion watts packed into a beam lasting just 25 quintillionths of a second. (ScienceBlog)

May 23, 2025
Fusion energy explained: Powering the future of clean energy
Nuclear fusion – the process that powers the stars – has long captured the imagination of scientists, engineers, and energy experts alike. (Innovation News Network)

May 22, 2025
AI in Science: How LLNL is Accelerating Discovery with Machine Learning
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is pioneering the integration of artificial intelligence into scientific research, moving beyond simple automation to accelerate breakthrough discoveries. (Quantum Zeitgeist)

May 22, 2025
Livermore Has Reached 4X Times the Energy Gain from Laser Fusion
In April 2025, Lawrence Livermore National lab (LLNL) had its eighth successful ignition experiment and set another record for energy yield, delivering 8.6 MJ from 2.08 MJ of energy to the target and further demonstrating that NIF can repeatedly conduct fusion experiments at multi-megajoule levels of energy output. (Next Big Future)

May 22, 2025
Funding Status of 2.6 Megajoule LLNL Laser Fusion Modification
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is pursuing funding to increase the laser fusion power at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) from 2.2 megajoules (MJ) to 2.6 MJ as part of the Enhanced Yield Capability (EYC) project. (Next Big Future)

May 22, 2025
Laser Fusion Could Get to Commercial Fusion
Lawrence Livermore proved over 4X power gain from laser fusion in April 2025. (Next Big Future)

May 21, 2025
“Scientists Break the Fusion Barrier”: This Record-Busting US Laser Experiment Achieved More Energy Out Than In
The recent breakthrough at the National Ignition Facility, achieving unprecedented net-positive energy gains from fusion experiments, marks a significant milestone in the quest for sustainable, clean energy solutions. (Sustainability Times)

May 21, 2025
Most powerful U.S. laser just hit an astounding 2 petawatts, over 100x the global electricity output
A burst of energy more powerful than any other laser in the United States just fired from the ZEUS facility – at a jaw-dropping 2 petawatts. (Earth.com)

May 21, 2025
US fusion breakthrough reignites global race as Australia risks being left behind
A laser-driven experiment in California has more than doubled its previous fusion energy yield, marking a major breakthrough in the global race to build commercial fusion reactors—while raising fresh warnings that Australia risks being left behind. (Energy News Bulletin)

May 21, 2025
National Ignition Facility reports new energy record in nuclear fusion
Two and a half years ago, the National Ignition Facility, a division of the US research facility Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), made headlines with an energy record in nuclear fusion. Recently, the researchers there have set two more records, as reported by various US media. (Heise Online)

May 21, 2025
This Artificial Sun Sets a New Impressive Record (Infinite energy?)
The National Ignition Facility (NIF), based in California, has made a major breakthrough in the field of nuclear fusion. (3DVF)

May 20, 2025
Advancing Science: ZEUS Laser's Electron Acceleration
The University of Michigan's ZEUS laser facility has conducted its first official experiment at 2 petawatts. This nearly doubles the peak power of any other laser currently operating in the United States. (AZO Optics)

May 20, 2025
ZEUS Becomes Most Powerful Laser in US After Successfully Completing 2 Quadrillion Watt Experiment
A laser cranking out 2 quadrillion watts sounds like it belongs in a Marvel movie, but it’s real, and it’s firing at the University of Michigan’s ZEUS facility. (TechEBlog)

May 19, 2025
Record-Breaking Fusion Lab More Than Doubles Its 2022 Energy Breakthrough
The National Ignition Facility, home of the first net-positive fusion reaction, is back with an even more powerful energy shot. (Gizmodo)

May 19, 2025
Fusion breakthrough: NIF achieves 8.6 megajoules, shattering previous record
While the path to practical fusion energy remains long, the recent advances at the National Ignition Facility have emboldened researchers. The facility's ongoing progress is a testament to decades of persistence – and a sign that the age of controlled fusion ignition is no longer a distant dream. (TechSpot)

May 19, 2025
CELIA: A laboratory at the core of Inertial Confinement Fusion for Energy
The fundamental ICF scheme has been known since the early 1970s. 50 years of scientific and technological progress culminated in December 2022 when the National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved breakeven, producing more energy from fusion than the laser energy invested in the process. (Innovation News Network)

May 19, 2025
The US has a new most powerful laser
The ZEUS laser facility at the University of Michigan has roughly doubled the peak power of any other laser in the U.S. with its first official experiment at 2 petawatts (2 quadrillion watts). (University of Michigan News)

May 18, 2025
US’ laser-powered nuclear fusion achieves new net-positive energy records: Report
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) has reportedly pushed the boundaries of fusion energy and achieved significant increases in power output in its latest experiments. (Interesting Engineering)

May 17, 2025
Laser-powered fusion experiment more than doubles its power output
The world’s only net-positive fusion experiment has been steadily ramping up the amount of power it produces, TechCrunch has learned. (TechCrunch)

May 16, 2025
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory: The future of fusion following ignition
Dave Schlossberg, Experimental Physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, explains how scientists at the lab’s National Ignition Facility were able to achieve fusion ignition in 2022, and what this breakthrough meant for their future fusion work. (Innovation News Network)

May 15, 2025
Commonwealth Fusion Systems raises more than $1bn, backed by unnamed hyperscale data center developer
Currently, no company or state has managed to build a fusion reactor that has achieved net power, although Lawrence Livermore researchers have achieved net energy gains in a fusion ignition breakthrough. (Data Center Dynamics)

May 15, 2025
Lem Prize 2024 awarded to German scientist
By using “imaginary time” analysis of X-ray data, scientists can now accurately measure temperatures and other properties. This technique has been adopted at major experimental centres, including the US National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory or SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, as well as Germany's European X-Ray Free Electron Laser and Japan's SPring-8 Angstrom Compact Free Electron Laser. (Wroclaw University News)

May 14, 2025
US firm to build bottle-shaped nuclear reactor with unique ‘magic-mirror’ trick
Realta Fusion, a spin-off from the University of Wisconsin, is hopeful that it will crack the fusion energy puzzle with its innovative bottle-like reactor design. (Interesting Engineering)

May 14, 2025
Why quantum computers could crack security, cure cancer, and rewrite reality
Quantum simulations may also reveal affordable materials for carbon-capture membranes or point to more stable nuclear-fusion plasmas, accelerating efforts like the National Ignition Facility’s record-breaking 2022 shot. (Interesting Engineering)

May 12, 2025
U.S. Naval Research Lab Reprioritizes NIKE Laser to Focus on Nuclear Deterrence
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) revealed a new strategic direction for its NIKE laser-target facility, realigning the 30-year-old krypton-fluoride excimer laser's capabilities with the Department of Defense (DoD)’s nuclear priorities. (Photonics Spectra)

May 9, 2025
China's Next-Gen Fusion Reactor Could Achieve First Plasma in Just 2 Years
China is racing forward in its effort to pave the way in fusion energy science, and state-sponsored media reported earlier this week that one of the country’s next-gen reactors is now under construction. (Popular Mechanics)

May 8, 2025
China’s Fusion Breakthrough by 2027 Exposes U.S. Lag as BEST Reactor Aims for 5x Output With Unmatched Construction Speed
In a groundbreaking stride toward sustainable energy, China's ambitious Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) reactor aims to quintuple its energy output by 2027, potentially revolutionizing the global energy landscape. (Sustainability Times)

May 8, 2025
This donut-shaped machine could generate near-limitless clean power in a decade and it is being built outside Boston
The Holy Grail of energy production, nuclear fusion, is making rapid advances and one experimental reactor in the United States is nearing its first tests. (Diario AS)

May 8, 2025
US to use world’s most powerful NIKE laser to mature nuclear weapons
To advance nuclear weapons, the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is changing the focus of its world’s most powerful krypton-fluoride NIKE laser facility. (Bytes Europe)

May 7, 2025
Nuclear fusion is the tech that could power AI and save the planet—if it ever works
NIF’s achievement set off renewed interest in fusion—and a new river of private capital flowing to fusion startups. (Fortune)

May 7, 2025
Navy Uses Its Laser-Target Facility for Nuclear Priorities
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has announced a new strategic direction for its NIKE laser-target facility to align its world-class capabilities with the Department of Defense’s (DoD) nuclear strategic priorities. (MilitarySpot.com)

May 7, 2025
US to make lethal nuclear weapons with world’s most powerful 3-kilojoule laser
For many years, the NIKE facility helped support the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which recently made a breakthrough, getting more energy out of a fusion reaction than the energy used to start it. (Interesting Engineering)

May 6, 2025
70-year-old nuclear fusion problem solved; can help tokamaks stop escaping electrons
Research in this field has been ongoing for decades but has picked up pace in recent years, with the National Ignition Facility (NIF) even demonstrating a net energy gain from fusion reactions. (Interesting Engineering)

May 6, 2025
NIKE laser realigns mission to support US nuclear deterrence goals
For years, NIKE supported NNSA's broader laser programs, including contributions to the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which recently reached fusion ignition-a milestone where the fusion output surpassed the input energy. (Space War)

May 5, 2025
This Giant Magnet Can Lift an Aircraft Carrier—and Possibly Power the Future
The fusion reactor’s electromagnetic “heart” is complete, bringing us one step closer to clean, infinite energy—though there's still a long road ahead. (Gizmodo)

May 5, 2025
China seeks to outpace US by fast-tracking nuclear reactor with 5x energy output
The technology has been in the works for decades, but has picked up steam after the US National Ignition Facility (NIF) demonstrated that a net energy gain was feasible in this process. (Interesting Engineering)

May 2, 2025
Laser fusion: Are you ready?
Edging ever-closer to commercial power plants, laser fusion energy will bring ‘transformative’ opportunities for photonics markets far and wide, says Constantin Häfner of Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology. (SPIE News)

May 1, 2025
Groups Collaborate on Projects for Fusion Energy in Germany
Government officials in the German state of Hessen (or Hesse) in March signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support development of a nuclear fusion pilot plant, what the groups called a first-of-a-kind, or FOAK, project. (Power)

May 1, 2025
The Next Five Years Will Define U.S. Nuclear’s Fate
Nuclear power, both the resurgence of fission and the promise of fusion, could secure our energy future and position the U.S. as the global leader in energy technology for the foreseeable future, but the next five years are crucial. (Power)

May 1, 2025
Collaborative Efforts Propel Fusion Energy Projects in Germany: Unveiling Breakthroughs in Clean Energy Innovation
Recent advances have demonstrated that achieving practical energy gain is no longer just theoretical. For instance, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Lab achieved a breakthrough by attaining scientific energy gain using laser fusion in December 2022. (Newsy Today)

May 2025
Early Laser Research Funding
Looking back at large, federally funded laser projects half a century later shows the impact of such efforts on the optics industry. (Optics & Photonics News)

April 30, 2025
University of Arizona plans big role in world's fusion energy chase
Harnessing fusion energy on Earth "will transform the planet," and University of Arizona researchers want the school to commercialize it. (Arizona Daily Star)

April 30, 2025
China plans to beat US, lead world fusion research with massive X-shaped reactor facility
Reports have revealed that details from satellite imagery and procurement records suggest that the facility resembles the U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF), although it’s much larger in comparison. (Interesting Engineering)

April 30, 2025
Scientist shares stunning breakthrough in effort to harness power from miniature star: 'Hotter than the center of the sun'
At a massive facility in Livermore, California, scientists are conducting experiments that they hope will one day realize the dream of boundless clean energy. (The Cool Down)

April 29, 2025
Prince Albert II attends Monaco Clean Fusion Forum
The Director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Kimberly S. Budil, then described the prospects opened up by fusion ignition: Fusion Ignition: What Comes Next? while Arthur Huang, founder of Miniwiz, discussed the topic Zero Waste and Beyond. (Monaco Tribune)

April 29, 2025
Is fusion finally within reach?
Fusion energy, long dismissed as “always 30 years away,” is edging closer to reality, according to new analysis by IDTechEx. (Energy Live News)

April 29, 2025
Is China Pulling Ahead in the Quest for Fusion Energy?
Analysts who’ve examined satellite imagery and procurement records say it resembles the U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF), but is significantly larger. (IEEE Spectrum)

April 27, 2025
“China Shifts Into High Gear”: Satellite Images Reveal This Gigantic Nuclear Fusion Center Rising at Breathtaking Speed
China's construction of a massive laser fusion research center in Mianyang, poised to surpass California’s National Ignition Facility by 50%, is stirring global debate over its potential impact on both clean energy development and nuclear weaponry advancements. (Sustainability Times)

April 25, 2025
Target designs for improving fusion ignition yield
Now that the physics of ignition has been proven, attention is shifted to efficiency and optimization. (American Institute of Physics)

April 24, 2025
Pacific Fusion: Fusing pulser innovation with General Atomics’ expertise
GA’s fusion expertise isn’t confined to its tokamak facilities—it is supplying components for ITER and manufacturing inertial fusion targets for the laser-driven National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. (Nuclear News)

April 24, 2025
William (Bill) Charles Behrendt
William (Bill) Charles Behrendt, beloved husband, father, brother, and friend, passed away from complications of Parkinson’s Disease / Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the age of 73, at his home in Livermore, California. (The Independent)

April 24, 2025
Scientists shocked to discover secret nuclear project in China: “a major concern for the international community”
Satellite images show the nuclear ambitions of the Asian giant with a large laser fusion research center in Mianyang. It is larger than the U.S. NIF in California. (Diario AS)

April 22, 2025
Is nuclear power the key to a low-carbon future?
Nuclear fusion, once considered the “holy grail” of energy, has reemerged as a promising energy frontier, with recent breakthroughs bringing practical applications within reach. (USC Today)

April 22, 2025
Fusion Energy: The Long-Term Solution
Fusion energy represents the most transformative potential nuclear technology, with recent breakthroughs generating significant excitement. In 2022, the National Ignition Facility recorded the first experiment to surpass scientific breakeven, producing more fusion energy than the laser beam delivered to the target. (EE Power)

April 21, 2025
Fusion must be a national priority for the future of US energy security
At a time when Washington is focused on budget cuts and government downsizing, one investment remains non-negotiable for America’s future: fusion energy. No technology is more economically transformative or strategically vital to securing U.S. leadership in the global energy race. (The Hill)

April 18, 2025
Revolutionizing High-power Lasers with Large-scale Glass Faraday Elements
In 2022, news that the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in the United States had succeeded in igniting fusion with a laser was major news. (EE|Times)

April 17, 2025
The Australian investors betting big on fusion – the “holy grail” of nuclear tech
One of Australia’s biggest super funds is backing nuclear tech – but not the kind being pitched by the federal Coalition. (Renew Economy)

April 16, 2025
Graduate Student Earns Fellowship to Study Fusion at Livermore Lab
UC Merced physics graduate student Sameen Yunus has been awarded a prestigious fellowship allowing her to spend the next three years working at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, conducting experiments and simulations that could lead to faster fusion ignition. (UC Merced Newsroom)

April 15, 2025
Fusion Energy Needs Continued U.S. Leadership to Secure Our Energy Future
The U.S. leads the world in fusion energy research. It can’t squander that lead like it did with microchips. (Scientific American)

April 15, 2025
Here’s how Pacific Fusion plans to build a fusion power plant
Pacific Fusion follows a similar path to fusion power as the National Ignition Facility, the Department of Energy research program that was the first to demonstrate that a controlled fusion reaction could generate more power than was required to ignite it. (TechCrunch)

April 10, 2025
How a lab in California is ensuring the effectiveness of US nuclear weapons
Scripps News was granted access to the California lab, where world-renowned physicists use supercomputers to perform complex laser experiments in the lab's National Ignition Facility (NIF), mimicking the conditions of a nuclear bomb going off. (Scripps News)

April 10, 2025
Video: Inside the US lab that simulates nuclear bombs
Nuclear testing in the U.S. hasn't involved real detonations since 1992. So how is America maintaining its nuclear arsenal in 2025? Scripps News takes you inside Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), where scientists simulate nuclear explosions using the world’s most energetic laser and the supercomputer El Capitan. (Scripps News)

April 9, 2025
Made-in-Canada Fusion Breakthrough Could Change the Future of Global Energy
As energy companies and governments worldwide pursue the next advancements in clean energy, Canadian energy company General Fusion has achieved a world-first fusion breakthrough with its creation of a magnetized plasma in a target chamber using its new machine, Lawson Machine 26 (LM26). (The Debrief)

April 7, 2025
Fusion Could Save the World
An important first step to getting a reaction to sustain itself without having to add more power, called ignition, was done for the first time in December 2022, when researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) National Ignition Facility (NIF) near San Francisco fired 192 lasers at a pellet the size of a peppercorn, a diamond containing frozen deuterium and tritium, two heavier forms of hydrogen, separated by gold. (The Stranger)

April 5, 2025
The US’ last chance to lead in fusion energy
An inflection point came in 2022, when scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility achieved a controlled fusion reaction that produced more energy than it consumed, proving that fusion power is theoretically possible and within reach. Now, researchers are doing more than running experiments; they are laying the groundwork for real power-generation systems. (Taipei Times)

April 4, 2025
Fusion Energy Race Is On. Two Local Lawmakers Want California to Lead the Way
Scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2022 stunned the world when they showed that, for a fraction of a second at least, the power of the sun could be replicated on earth. (GV Wire)

April 4, 2025
Power from fusion: Realities
Recently, in an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States, 192 powerful lasers with ultra-short pulses heated the D-T mixture and generated more power than was supplied, also called fusion ignition. (Deccan Herald)

April 3, 2025
Swims You Might’ve Missed On Day 2 Of The 2025 Sacramento Pro Swim Series
Brandon Fischer competed at his fifth Olympic Trials last summer and is balancing a full-time job as a mechanical technologist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, home of the National Ignition Facility, which is at the forefront of nuclear fusion breakthroughs. (SwimSwam)

April 2, 2025
China builds a supercharged lab that can make it the world’s leading energy superpower
China is constructing a large-scale laser-driven nuclear fusion facility in Mianyang, aiming to revolutionize energy and defense sectors. (The Economic Times)

April 1, 2025
The World’s First Fusion-Fission Plant Aims To Generate 100MW Nuclear Power By 2030
China is set to build the world’s first fusion-fission hybrid power plant, marking a revolutionary step in nuclear energy. (Wonderful Engineering)

April 1, 2025
China’s Hidden Laser-Powered Nuclear Fusion Mega-Lab Exposed by Satellite Imagery—50% Bigger Than NIF
China is secretly building a fusion facility so massive it dwarfs the world’s current leader. Satellite images just exposed what’s hidden deep in Mianyang. (Daily Galaxy)

March 31, 2025
China aims to have Xinghuo, world’s first fusion-fission power plant, running by 2030
China is poised to start building the world’s first fusion-fission hybrid power plant, with the goal of generating 100 megawatts of continuous electricity and connecting to the grid by the end of the decade. (The Star)

March 31, 2025
How Do Lasers Work, and What Are They Used For?
ExtremeTech's guide to how lasers work and all the fascinating ways they're being employed today. (ExtremeTech)

March 28, 2025
China Aims To Operate World’s First Hybrid Fusion-Fission Nuclear Plant By 2030
China is poised to start building the world’s first fusion-fission hybrid nuclear power plant, with the goal of generating 100 MW of continuous electricity and connecting to the grid by the end of the decade. (NucNet)

March 27, 2025
Germany’s Marvel Fusion raises €113mn as nuclear fusion race heats up
Interest in the approach has increased since scientists at the US government-run National Ignition Facility used the world’s largest laser to achieve a net energy gain in a fusion reaction for the first time in December 2022. (Financial Times)

March 27, 2025
China aims to have Xinghuo, world’s first fusion-fission power plant, running by 2030
China is poised to start building the world’s first fusion-fission hybrid power plant, with the goal of generating 100 megawatts of continuous electricity and connecting to the grid by the end of the decade. (South China Morning Post)

March 27, 2025
China Plans Ambitious Nuclear Fusion Target For 2030
China has set its sights on a new fusion-fission power plant that could be up and running by the end of the decade. (Gizmodo)

March 27, 2025
A Sydney company’s laser focus on energy’s holy grail
McKenzie founded and is currently involved in two companies based on Australian research, one focussed on the emerging class of materials known as “high-entropy alloys”, and the other concerned with producing clean energy from nuclear fusion. (AuManufacturing)

March 25, 2025
Bill Gates-backed Commonwealth Fusion Systems hits key reactor construction milestone
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) marked a major milestone Tuesday morning, announcing the installation of a key component of its SPARC demonstration reactor. (TechCrunch)

March 25, 2025
Focused Energy and RWE to build 1GW fusion pilot plant in Germany
US-German startup Focused Energy has signed an agreement with RWE and the German state of Hesse to build a 1GW fusion energy pilot plant at the former Biblis nuclear plant site by 2035, as reported by Reuters. (Power Technology)

March 25, 2025
With the Richmond area eyed for a world-first nuclear plant, VCU expert outlines the remarkable potential for clean energy – and the uncertainty
he term “ground zero” is rooted in ominous nuclear overtones, marking the detonation spot of an atomic weapon. But it also has come to represent a starting point, and at a site not far from Virginia Commonwealth University, the state may become ground zero for a pioneering project — and a nuclear one, no less. (VCU News)

March 24, 2025
“Three times the size of the Pentagon” – This giant fusion research center rising in China is rewriting the rules of energy
Recent satellite imagery has revealed that China is constructing an enormous laser fusion research facility in Mianyang, potentially rivaling California's National Ignition Facility and raising significant questions about the future of global nuclear research and security. (Sustainability Times)

March 24, 2025
Fusion energy startup Focused signs agreement with RWE, German state
U.S.-German startup Focused Energy, which aims to build power plants fueled by fusion, said on Monday it has signed an agreement with RWE and the German state of Hesse on building a plant at a shuttered nuclear fission site. (Reuters)

March 20, 2025
HB11 Energy partners with University of Adelaide on Australian-first $8.2M national laser facility, out of Adelaide
Laser fusion energy company HB11 Energy has signed an $8.2 million agreement with Defence Trailblazer to commercialise the world’s first-of-a-kind laser developed by the DualTech-USPL research group at the University of Adelaide. (Eco Voice)

March 19, 2025
Gridlock in Energy Transition, Transmission Bottlenecks
The International Energy Agency (IEA) reports that 1,600 GW of renewable energy projects—equivalent to five times the current U.S. power grid’s capacity—are stranded in connection queues globally. (Energy News)

March 18, 2025
B.C. company plans to ignite fusion within three years
Under the din of an industrial alarm, dozens of engineers stare at their screens, braced for the unexpected.“Ready to fire!” shouts the lead operator. “Firing!” (Castanet)

March 16, 2025
Fusion energy: Unlocking the power of the stars
If it looks like the set of some Hollywood sci-fi show, perhaps that's fitting, because what they are doing here is making stars on Earth. (CBS Sunday Morning)

March 16, 2025
How the U.S. is losing ground to China in nuclear fusion, as AI power needs surge
China and the U.S. are in a race to create the first grid-scale nuclear fusion energy. After decades of U.S. leadership, China is catching up by spending twice as much and building projects at record speed. (CNBC)

March 13, 2025
Nuclear Fusion Race Intensifies With Chinese Breakthrough
China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak achieved a sustained temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius, marking a significant milestone in nuclear fusion research. (OilPrice.com)

March 11, 2025
General Fusion fires up its newest steampunk fusion reactor
General Fusion announced on Tuesday that it had successfully created plasma, a superheated fourth state of matter required for fusion, inside a prototype reactor. (TechCrunch)

March 10, 2025
Fusion energy: The holy grail of clean power
A net energy gain was notably demonstrated in December 2022 at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), a laser-based inertial confinement fusion research lab located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. (The Daily Star)

March 6, 2025
Understanding DOE’s Role in Nuclear Security and Energy Management
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is a prime example of the DOE’s commitment to cutting-edge research. The NIF performs key experiments that help scientists understand nuclear fusion and ensure the effectiveness of nuclear weapons. (Microgrid Media)

March 5, 2025
Lessons for U.S. Intelligence from the ‘DeepSeek Surprise’
AI is far from the only consequential technology that is shaping the competition between the United States and China. Within just the past month, satellite imagery analysis revealed that China is building a laser fusion research facility larger than our own National Ignition Facility (NIF). (The Cipher Brief)

March 3, 2025
What Is Nuclear Energy? Is It Renewable?
No one has a workable plan for bringing fusion to commercial viability, because even the record-smashing National Ignition Facility barely knows how to make fusion energy-positive in the first place. (Extreme Tech)

February 28, 2025
AI & Data Exchange 2025: Lawrence Livermore’s Brian Spears, Judy Hill on achieving unprecedented AI advancements
LLNL has a broad science mission. It stewards the nation’s nuclear stockpile and supports a wide range of national security objectives, including intelligence support, medical research and drug development, and basic fundamental science. It is also known for being the fusion laboratory — in 2022, LLNL made history by demonstrating fusion ignition in a lab setting. (Federal News Network)

February 27, 2025
The Energy Department invests more in fusion energy
The Energy Department, via the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is boosting research into fusion energy. (Federal News Network)

February 26, 2025
Startups gamble on fusion energy
And in 2022, scientists at one key fusion lab, located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, reached a fusion-energy milestone when they were able to produce a self-sustaining reaction with a net-positive amount of energy — a threshold called ignition. (Canada's National Observer)

February 25, 2025
Unlocking the power of fusion: SLAC’s pioneering role in advanced energy solutions
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is leading groundbreaking advancements in fusion research through innovative technologies, aiming to tackle the challenges of harnessing fusion as a viable energy source. (Innovation News Network)

February 21, 2025
French fusion reactor’s 22-minute plasma record boosts energy hopes
Scientists at the CEA’s WEST facility (operated at the Cadarache center in southern France) have reached a milestone in magnetic confinement fusion research, sustaining a superheated plasma for 1,337 seconds—just over 22 minutes. (R&D World)

February 20, 2025
EUV’s Future Looks Even Brighter
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) are exploring alternative laser-driven plasma sources that could significantly improve EUV power efficiency. (Semiconductor Engineering)

February 18, 2025
Behind China’s ‘secret’ laser facility
Recently a flood of articles appeared in the press showing a US satellite photo of what was described as a huge laser facility under construction in southwestern China. (Asia Times)

February 14, 2025
The future of lasers is controllably bright
John Heebner of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory discusses ongoing projects at the National Ignition Facility. (SPIE)

February 13, 2025
Lab and Startup Company Team Up on Fusion Materials
Commercial fusion technology — what the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) says could deliver “a supply of safe, clean and relatively limitless energy” — took another step forward last week with the announcement of a new joint project between the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and fusion startup Focused Energy. (The Independent)

February 13, 2025
Photonics’ “Semiconductorization” Stands Out Among Trends at Photonics West 2025
Once again, Photonics West was thriving, with the exhibit halls and floors of the conference center humming with intense conversations about the latest advances in all areas of photonics technology. I will discuss a few trends I found particularly noteworthy. (Photonics Spectra)

February 12, 2025
Ensuring Innovation In A Rapidly Changing World: Stay With Problems Longer
The hot pursuit of nuclear fusion as an energy source, for example, has been going on for several decades, since the construction of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory began in 1997. (Forbes)

February 12, 2025
Satellite images reveal large fusion facility in China
Currently the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the US Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory if world leader in INF. (Nuclear Engineering International)

February 8, 2025
Satellite Images Show China Building What Appears to Be a Huge Fusion Facility
In a move straight out of a Bond film, China seems to be building a massive laser-fired nuclear facility in Mianyang, a major science and research city in Sichuan province. (Futurism)

February 7, 2025
China’s Massive Nuclear Fusion Facility In Sichuan Province Gets Caught In Satellite Imagery
This experiment mirrors the layout of the US National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Northern California, which in 2022 achieved a breakthrough by producing more energy from fusion than the lasers pumped into the target, reaching “scientific breakeven.” (The EurAsian Times)

February 6, 2025
Virginia joins the nuclear fusion race as region shifts to clean energy
The core of our Sun is a nuclear inferno so unfathomably dense that it strips atoms of their electrons and forms new atoms. And, in an attempt to meet its clean energy goals, Virginia hopes to wield this energy on Earth. (Chesapeake Bay Journal)

February 6, 2025
China is building giant nuclear facility to master clean energy
Eveleth estimates China's Mianyang research center will be about 50% bigger than the US's National Ignition Facility (NIF) and, when completed, probably the largest facility of its kind in the world. (NewsBytes)

February 5, 2025
China is building a giant laser facility to master near-limitless clean energy, satellite images appear to show
The X-shaped building in southwestern China could help China pull ahead in the race to master a futuristic clean energy source and amp up weapons research. (CNN)

February 5, 2025
Focused Energy, Livermore Lab Join in Support of Fusion Research
Focused Energy and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California have announced the signing of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to develop a model simulating the behavior of low-density foams wetted with liquid deuterium and tritium during implosion. (POWER Magazine)

February 4, 2025
China Is Secretly Building the World’s Largest Nuclear Fusion Laser, According to a U.S. Spy Satellite
Recently spotted via American spy satellites, this structure is estimated to be 50% larger than the United States’ National Ignition Facility (NIF)—currently the most advanced laser fusion lab in the world. (Indian Defence Review)

February 4, 2025
China’s Massive Laser Fusion Facility: A Game Changer for Energy or Arms?
China’s new laser fusion facility in Mianyang significantly outsizes the U.S. National Ignition Facility. (Oinegro Skynet Chronicles)

February 1, 2025
'The Whole Crew Had Me': Benedict Cumberbatch Recalls Getting Pranked by Star Trek Into Darkness Team
Speaking to Variety, Cumberbatch discussed his experience on the set of the 2013 film, recalling a day of shooting at the National Ignition Facility, where tests regarding nuclear fusion are carried out. (Comic Book Resources)

February 1, 2025
Explaining nuclear fusion
In 2022, at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s National Ignition Facility in California, 192 lasers focused on a peppercorn-sized pellet of deuterium-tritium and in the 5.4-million-degree Fahrenheit heat, converted the pellet into burning plasma in a reaction that lasted billionths of a second. (Post Register)

January 31, 2025
Lawrence Livermore says OpenAI partnership could help with fusion research
The San Francisco AI company will supply its models to national labs for various purposes including fusion and nuclear deterrence. (San Francisco Business Times)

January 29, 2025
Satellite Picture Shows China's Huge Nuclear Weapons Research Center
The revelation of the new Chinese nuclear facility, in the city of Mianyang in the southwestern province of Sichuan, was reported by Reuters on Tuesday. It has a similar design to the U.S. National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California, the report said. (Newsweek)

January 29, 2025
China building massive nuclear fusion research centre, reveal satellite images
China is constructing a large-scale laser-ignited nuclear fusion research facility in the southwestern city of Mianyang, which experts said Bejing will utilise to enhance both nuclear weapons design capabilities and research into advanced power generation methods. (The Times of India)

January 28, 2025
Exclusive: Images show China building huge fusion research facility, analysts say
China appears to be building a large laser-ignited fusion research centre in the southwestern city of Mianyang, experts at two analytical organisations say, a development that could aid nuclear weapons design and work exploring power generation. (Reuters)

January 28, 2025
China's new tech rip-off: Satellite images show huge new fusion research plant (...remarkably similar to US facility) sparking nuke testing fears
The design bears striking similarities to the £2.8billion US National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California, which made headlines last year for achieving a breakthrough in nuclear fusion. (Daily Mail)

January 28, 2025
China ‘building laser-ignited fusion research centre’ in challenge to US
Experts warn site could be used to advance both power generation and nuclear weapons. (The Telegraph)

January 28, 2025
Satellite images reveal huge fusion research facility in China
The facility's design resembles the layout of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the United States, which, in 2022, achieved "scientific breakeven" by generating more energy from a fusion reaction than was delivered by the lasers. (RBC-Ukraine)'

January 28, 2025
China building huge fusion research facility
The design closely resembles that of the $3.5 billion National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Northern California, which achieved "scientific breakeven" in 2022 by generating more energy from a fusion reaction than the lasers pumped into the target. (Caliber)

January 28, 2025
China's Ambitious Leap in Laser Fusion Technology
Satellite imagery reveals a layout similar to the U.S. National Ignition Facility, with implications for both nuclear policy and innovation in energy development. (Devdiscourse)

January 27, 2025
Benedict Cumberbatch Recalls The Elaborate Prank On Him During The Filming Of Star Trek Into Darkness
During a recent interview with Variety in which guests attempt to guess lines from their own movies and TV shows, Cumberbatch identifies a Khan line from Star Trek Into Darkness. This leads to a story about his experiences filming within the National Ignition Facility for the movie, and the elaborate prank that the crew of the movie pulled on him involving "neutron cream." (ScreenRant)

January 21, 2025
New Metal Foams Enable World’s Brightest X-Ray Source
By combining the National Ignition Facility (NIF)’s X-ray laser and ultralight metal foams, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have produced the brightest X-ray source to date — about twice as bright as previous solid metal versions. (Photonics Spectra)

January 21, 2025
China's 'artificial sun' shatters nuclear fusion record by generating steady loop of plasma for 1,000 seconds
A nuclear fusion reactor in China, dubbed the "artificial sun," has broken its own record to bring humanity one step closer to near-limitless clean energy. (Live Science)

January 19, 2025
US lab creates world’s brightest X-ray source with 2x intensity for fusion research
This milestone was reached by combining the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser with ultra-light metal foams. (Interesting Engineering)

January 18, 2025
Private Sector Advances Nuclear Fusion With AI – New Plant To Open Soon
An MIT-connected project is changing how we view energy production. It should have been bigger news. When the National Ignition Facility conducted a successful fusion experiment, we got a front-row seat to what could happen if this technology is ever perfected. (Forbes)

January 15, 2025
Frothy silver foam and fusion-grade lasers create world's brightest X-ray
A frothy breakthrough at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), using lasers with a silver metal foam that's as light as air, has created the brightest yet X-ray source ever, twice as brilliant as that of anything previous. (New Atlas)

January 14, 2025
Fusion Research Receives $49 Million Boost
The U.S. Department of Energy is funding 19 projects that target foundational fusion materials, nuclear science, magnet technology, blankets, fuel cycles, and first wall research. (ASME News)

January 13, 2025
The world’s fastest supercomputer is accelerating efforts to bring star power to Earth
It makes sense that a technical achievement straight out of science fiction took place in a facility so futuristic that it was once used as a backdrop in a Star Trek movie. (Cipher)

January 13, 2025
Reflecting on mirrors
Then there are lasers, which rely on mirrors for building up and manipulating a focused beam of light. In December 2022, the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California used a complicated series of lasers and mirrors to achieve the first net-gain fusion reaction. (Classic City News)

January 13, 2025
Fusion energy Canada’s opportunity to lead in the clean energy revolution
Recent breakthroughs have brought this vision closer to reality, yet significant challenges remain before fusion becomes a practical part of our energy systems. (Troy Media)

January 10, 2025
Fusion-grade steel able to withstand 650°C produced at industrial scale for first time in UK
A UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) working group was able to successfully demonstrate the industrial scale production of steel that can be used in fusion reactors by withstanding temperatures up to 650°C. (New Civil Engeneer)

January 8, 2025
Nuclear fusion could one day be a viable clean energy source – but big engineering challenges stand in the way
The way scientists think about fusion changed forever in 2022, when what some called the experiment of the century demonstrated for the first time that fusion can be a viable source of clean energy. (The Conversation)

January 7, 2025
Is the world ready for the transformational power of fusion?
Imagine: One day in the early 2030s, an engineer at a newly constructed power plant near Richmond, Virginia, in the United States, will press a button. It will ignite the same reaction that takes place in our sun’s core. (World Economic Forum)

January 7, 2025
US next-gen BAT laser system aims for a 10x efficiency boost for EUV chip production
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is developing a petawatt-class laser system that could significantly boost the efficiency of EUV lithography equipment used in chip manufacturing. (Notebook Check)

January 6, 2025
The race to achieve net energy gain
The world is now on the last leg of the decades-long race to achieve net energy gain from nuclear fusion. Will competition or collaboration be the key to reaching the finish line? (Innovation News Network)

January 6, 2025
Researchers Unlock Fusion Mysteries with Novel Plasma Modeling, Propelling Nuclear Fusion Closer to Reality
Harnessing controlled nuclear fusion as a potential source of clean energy has seen several significant advancements in recent years, and the recent research by a Chinese team, funded by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences and published in Science Bulletin last month, signals the next wave of insights with what the team calls a “surprising observation” involving supra-thermal ions during observations of fusion burning plasmas at National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. (The Debrief)

January 6, 2025
Why fusion energy is the future of clean power
Imagine a world where energy is limitless, clean, and safe—a world without pollution from burning fossil fuels or dangerous nuclear waste. This dream is at the heart of fusion energy research. (Knowridge)

January 5, 2025
American lab is developing a BAT laser that could enable 'beyond EUV' lithography, provide 10X power efficiency boost
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is working on a petawatt-class thulium laser that is said to be 10 times more efficient than the CO2 lasers used in EUV tools and could replace CO2 lasers in lithography systems many years down the road. (Tom's Hardware)

January 5, 2025
Nuclear fusion offers safe and clean energy, but experts say enviros will still oppose it
In 2022, the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, became the only facility to achieve what’s called “net fusion energy,” which is a fusion reaction producing more energy than the reaction required. (Just the News)

January 3, 2025
LLNL to Lead Research on Advancing Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography
Now Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has announced it will lead a four-year, $12 million research partnership charged with laying the groundwork for the next evolution of EUV lithography. (inside HPC)

January 3, 2025
Germany’s IFE Targetry HUB pioneers laser-based inertial fusion
This milestone comes amid growing international interest in nuclear fusion, fuelled by the landmark achievements of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which successfully demonstrated fusion’s viability as an energy source. (Innovation News Network)

January 3, 2025
Brighter X Rays from Ultralight Silver Material
Shooting a laser pulse at a porous silver target generates more intense x rays than previous targets, which will help studies of matter in extreme conditions. (American Physical Society)

January 3, 2025
Fusion Mystery Unraveled: How Burning Plasmas Defy Conventional Physics
Advances in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) have brought nuclear fusion energy closer to reality. A breakthrough at the National Ignition Facility in 2021 revealed unexpected plasma phenomena, challenging existing models. (SciTechDaily)

January 2, 2025
John H. Nuckolls Receives Enrico Fermi Presidential Award
The Biden-Harris Administration has recognized former Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) director John H. Nuckolls with the Enrico Fermi Award, one of the oldest and most prestigious science and technology honors bestowed by the U.S. government. (The Independent)

January 2, 2025
2025 will be the year climate tech learns to love AI
We’re just over two years out from the National Ignition Facility’s groundbreaking announcement that it had produced the world’s first controlled, net-positive fusion reaction. (TechCrunch)

January 2, 2025
Focused Energy and Amplitude ink laser fusion deal
"This is a landmark moment on our path to commercial laser fusion, building off the National Ignition Facility’s groundbreaking work two years ago." (Nuclear Engineering International)

January 1, 2025
Mystery of supra-thermal ions in fusion plasmas solved by advanced collision models
The pursuit of nuclear fusion as a clean and abundant energy source has made significant strides with the advent of inertial confinement fusion (ICF). (Space Daily)