As Gizmodo recently pointed out, there's an old joke about fusion energy: it's the energy of the future, and always will be. But then the author declares, "Researchers are making progress toward this futuristic energy source, and scientists will eventually solve fusion's immense technical challenges if society can commit to the journey."
How about here, at the University of Rochester? Our guests explain how they've taken a significant step forward in a form of fusion research. So is fusion ever going to become the energy of the present? We discuss it with:
- Michael Campbell, deputy director of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics
- Riccardo Betti, professor and scientist at Laboratory of Laser Energetics, and professor of mechanical engineering
- Arijit Bose, Ph.D. candidate