Scientists at Lawrence Livermore’s National Ignition Facility had good news to report in their attempt to drive an energy-producing fusion reaction with powerful lasers. A subtle change in the way they preheated the fuel pellet allowed them to produce the highest number of fusion reactions ever obtained from a laser-driven scheme (see Viewpoint: Encouraging Signs on the Path to Fusion). The result was a promising milestone on the path to making a fusion energy source that generates more energy than it takes to run it, though experts agree this goal is still many years away.

See also: Researchers at Sandia National Labs reported progress on a complementary approach to fusion, which uses electrical currents, instead of lasers, to compress fusion pellets (see Viewpoint: Magnetic Fields Lock in the Heat for Fusion).