Is Atomic Fusion An Illusion?
Energy from wind, sun, or tides
may not always be like free rides.
Costs of storage or transmission
may restrict this hopeful vision.
What we need is a battery
which could make storage almost free
and ways to transmit energy
such as magnetism might be.
The magic of magnetism
doesn’t rhyme but it has rhythm.
There may not be any free lunch
but little atoms have a bunch
of magnetism in their core
which is what we are looking for.

Walt Abbott–9-26-08


Nuclear Fusion

Another form of nuclear energy is called fusion. Fusion means joining smaller nuclei (the plural of nucleus) to make a larger nucleus. The sun uses nuclear fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium atoms. This gives off heat and light and other radiation.
Scientists have been working on controlling nuclear fusion for a long time, trying to make a fusion reactor to produce electricity. But they have been having trouble learning how to control the reaction in
a contained space.
What's better about nuclear fusion is that it creates less radioactive material than fission, and its supply of fuel can last longer than the sun.