Top 3 Milestones in Nuclear Fission and Fusion

The 'ghostly afterglow' from a reactor highlights the ongoing scientific exploration in nuclear energy, a field marked by pivotal discoveries in both fission and the promising future of fusion.

The top 3

1. Discovery of Nuclear Fission: Nuclear fission was discovered in December 1938 by chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann, with the explanation provided by physicists Lise Meitner and Otto Frisch, laying the foundation for nuclear power and weapons.
2. First Self-Sustaining Nuclear Chain Reaction: On December 2, 1942, a team led by Enrico Fermi achieved the world's first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction with Chicago Pile-1 at the University of Chicago, a critical step for nuclear technology.
3. First Net Energy Gain in Nuclear Fusion: In December 2022, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility achieved fusion ignition, producing more energy than the lasers delivered to the target, a monumental step towards clean, nearly limitless power.

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