All the power of the Sun – Part 2

Nuclear fusion – How ITER harnesses the power of the Sun, in a magnetic doughnut

As power sources go, nuclear fusion is the oldest and most efficient, and can boast a track record that is second to none. It has helped nurture life on Earth and neither we, the food we eat or air we breathe could exist without it. Nuclear fusion, not to be confused with nuclear fission (used in present nuclear power stations), is the process by which the Sun, and other stars, transforms hydrogen into helium to release the colossal amount of energy that keeps them burning away.