What is now the world's largest tokamak (sort of like a toroid shaped reactor) thermonuclear fusion reactor is now working north of Tokyo, Japan. The continued work towards the 'Holy Grail' of energy production is making progress towards the dream of unlimited energy (can get the 'fuel' from water, which is deuterium and tritium, the isotopes of hydrogen), with no risk of meltdowns, no radioactive waste, and no greenhouse gas emissions. This is a big attempt to show fusion is possible, and can scale up to industrial and commercial production levels. Let's hope this works and shows scientists and engineers the next steps of accomplishing this long-term dream!
For those interested in this, it is a major multidisciplinary area of research and engineering: nuclear and plasma physics, math modeling, nuclear and plasma engineering, mechanical and electrical and computer engineering, civil engineering, environmental sciences, city planning, eventually governmental energy and patent regulations and policy, and so much more!
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