Energy density research ‘needs focus on people and facilities’

National Academies committee finds US must invest to maintain leadership in fields including nuclear fusion

Greater investment in people and research facilities is needed for the US to fully utilise the potential of nuclear fusion and other ‘high-energy density’ science, a National Academies report has warned.

HED science is an area of physics that includes the study of matter and radiation at high temperatures and pressures, including those found in stars. It has led researchers to develop modern microchips, nuclear fusion and other new technologies that offer promise for the future of sustainable energy supply.