Blog

Long before he became TAE’s Chief Science Officer and an award-winning pioneer in the field of fusion energy, Dr. Toshiki Tajima was a young scientist studying fusion in Tokyo, where his daily walks took him past Shinobazu Pond. 

There, he observed a simple phenomenon: A mother duck paddling through the water and a string of ducklings gliding along behind in her wake. They traveled together at the same speed, despite their difference in size and strength.

As the scientific community—and arguably, the world—experiences renewed interest in the development of fusion energy, it’s worth highlighting the diversity of approaches being pursued. Fusion pioneers are developing a variety of machines that employ a variety of fuels each with their own set of attractive features and technical challenges, but all with the same goal – to develop the technology that enables commercial electricity production from fusion energy. The innovations we’re seeing now, largely in the private sector, represent a wealth of scientific and engineering prowess built on decades of research and experimentation.

Nuclear fusion is the primordial source of the Sun’s energy. For decades, scientists have been trying to recreate it here on Earth. Now, they’re closer than ever to achieving it, and unlocking a future of clean power for all.

In June 2022, amid an oil supply shortage resulting in part from the war in Ukraine, the United States marked a devastating milestone: The average price of a gallon of gasoline topped $5 for the first time in American history.

Prior to Coronavirus, human impact on the environment was largely studied in models and projections, making the cause and effect seem abstract to some. Now, we have all been partaking in an unprecedented living laboratory experiment, where the drastic reduction of planes, cars, and factory activity has led to results that are starkly visible in our everyday lives.