Nuclear physicists are notching scientific advances for fusion energy, fueling hopes - and billions in investment - to create an energy source that doesn't produce carbon or nuclear waste. Why it matters: For decades, scientists have chased the dream of using fusion for limitless clean energy.

After decades of inertial confinement fusion research, a record yield of more than 1.3 megajoules (MJ) from fusion reactions was achieved in the laboratory for the first time during an experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) National Ignition Facility (NIF) on Aug. 8, 2021.