Why Is Fusion Energy Always ’10 Years Away’?

Enough with the sarcasm—seriously, what are the actual obstacles keeping fusion energy inside lab experiments? Staff inspect the interior of the chamber and diagnostic equipment at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. =================================================================================== Fusion is always “x years away,” or so goes the old joke. I tried (unsuccessfully) to find where this saying even came from. For what it’s worth, one researcher’s testimonial dates back to the 1960s, whereas another 1986 conference panel mentioned something similar. Both accounts say fusion power is 50 and between 25 and 30 years away, respectively, so that adds up to around...