It is no secret that the Earth's fossil fuel reserves are on its last legs. According to sobering statistics, the annual global consumption of crude oil clocks in at 11 billion tonnes. At that rate the reserves are expected to run out in less than a century - in 2052 to be exact. Thankfully there have been efforts to tap into alternative energy sources to salvage the remaining fossil fuel the planet has left. In fact, just recently German scientists have announced a new study that might be the solution to Earth's energy crisis.
Mere hours ago, scientists from the Max Planck Institute in Greifswald, Germany switched on the Wendelstein 7-X Stellarator for a nuclear fission experiment. The groundbreaking event was attended and participated by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who has a doctorate in physics.
The experiment aims to heat small amounts of hydrogen to a very hot gas called plasma that is akin to the substance found in the sun. It is expected that the device would reach a whopping 100 million degrees Celsius.
Though it might take more research to make nuclear fission a viable energy source, the experiment is the first step into understanding how the sun can produce massive amounts of energy. Scientists are hopeful that the results of the experiment would lead to a fossil fuel alternative.
Physicists from the world over have since gushed about the promise of the nuclear fission experiment. According to David Anderson, a professor of physics from the University of Wisconsin, the task the experiment undertook is difficult however he is very excited to learn about the results.
"This is usually a difficult and arduous process. The speed with which W7-X became operational is a testament to the care and quality of the fabrication of the device and makes a very positive statement about the stellarator concept itself. W7-X is a truly remarkable achievement and the worldwide fusion community looks forward to many exciting results" explained Anderson in an interview with The Guardian.
