Breaking News English

Nuclear fusion test could start an energy revolution

Nuclear Fusion - Level 4

There has been a long search for sustainable energy sources. One source scientists want to create is nuclear fusion. Scientists have worked for decades on this. Researchers in the USA say they created it for a fraction of a second. Powerful lasers blasted a target to create a reaction that lasted just 100 trillionths of a second. It created 10 quadrillion watts of power. This is the same as 6 per cent of the Sun's energy hitting Earth at any given time.

Nuclear fusion powers the Sun. This energy source could solve our environmental challenges. It could provide endless, safe, clean and green power. A physicist spoke about the breakthrough. She said it is a "huge advance" and a big step toward generating "a net-positive amount of energy". Futurism.com said it was "an infinite supply of carbon-neutral energy without ever running the risk of a nuclear meltdown".

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3    |     Speed 4

MORE

11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Nuclear Fusion - Level 5

There has been an endless search to find sustainable energy sources. One source that has thus far eluded scientists is nuclear fusion. Generations of physicists have tried for many years to copy this reaction. Scientists in the USA say they recreated the power of the Sun for a fraction of a second. Powerful lasers blasted a tiny target to create a reaction that lasted just 100 trillionths of a second. It created 10 quadrillion watts of power. The power the scientists created is the equivalent of 6 per cent of all the energy from the Sun hitting Earth at any given moment.

Nuclear fusion powers the Sun. The website cnet.com said it is "a long-sought-after panacea" for energy and environmental challenges. Nuclear fusion could provide infinite, safe, clean and green power. It could also reverse environmental damage. Physicist Dr Debbie Callahan spoke about the breakthrough. She said it is a "huge advance" and a big step toward generating "a net-positive amount of energy". Futurism.com said: "The promise is as lucrative as it has ever been – an infinite supply of carbon-neutral energy without ever running the risk of a nuclear meltdown."

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3    |     Speed 4

MORE

11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Nuclear Fusion - Level 6

There has been a relentless quest to find sustainable energy sources in the past decades. One source of energy that has thus far eluded scientists is nuclear fusion. This is the Holy Grail of clean energy. Generations of physicists have tried to replicate this reaction. Scientists in the USA say they recreated the power of the Sun for a minuscule fraction of a second. Powerful lasers blasted a tiny target to create a reaction. The burst lasted just 100 trillionths of a second, but it created 10 quadrillion watts of power. Ten quadrillion is equal to 1 followed by 16 zeros. The power the scientists created is the equivalent of 6 per cent of all the energy from the Sun hitting Earth's surface at any given moment.

Nuclear fusion powers the Sun and other stars. The website cnet.com said it is "a long-sought-after panacea for many energy and environmental challenges". Nuclear fusion power plants could solve our clean energy conundrum and provide infinite, safe, clean and green power. It could also reverse the damage we do to the environment. Physicist Dr Debbie Callahan, who worked on the experiment, spoke about the breakthrough. She said it is a "huge advance for fusion" and a big step toward generating "a net-positive amount of energy". Futurism.com said: "The promise is as lucrative as it has ever been – an infinite supply of carbon-neutral energy without ever running the risk of a nuclear meltdown."

SPEED READING

Speed 1    |     Speed 2    |     Speed 3    |     Speed 4

MORE

25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson