Scientists made a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion, but it'll take years to hit the grid

Sounds like the plot of "Iron Man"… actually real life. This week the US Department of Energy announced a milestone in the development of fusion energy. For the first time, scientists successfully used a nuclear-fusion reaction to generate 50% more energy than what was required for its creation — aka "net energy gain" — paving the way for sustainable clean power. Nuclear fusion (imagine: atoms fusing together) occurs naturally in the sun and releases 4M times more energy than burning oil, coal, or gas. Experts say it could unlock "virtually limitless" carbon-free power.

The nuclear evolution… has been a long time coming. For decades, scientists have researched ways to harness nuclear power (like the more familiar nuclear fission) in hopes of producing alternatives to fossil fuels. Now, investors are on course to have put $1B+ into fusion tech this year, driven partly by growing climate-change initiatives and Russia’s war on Ukraine, which disrupted global energy supplies. That's just a fraction of the $1.4T invested this year in clean energy, but the future’s bright:

• Atomic returns: The overall fusion market could be worth $40T down the road.
• Electric possibilities: Constellation Energy, which says it's the US's largest producer of clean, carbon-free energy, said net energy gain is a “game changer” and the biggest breakthrough in 30 years.