A Piece of the Sun: The Quest for Fusion Energy

A Piece of the Sun: The Quest for Fusion Energy

by Daniel Clery
A Piece of the Sun: The Quest for Fusion Energy

A Piece of the Sun: The Quest for Fusion Energy

by Daniel Clery

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Overview

How physicists are trying to solve our energy problems—by unlocking the secrets of the sun: “Explain[s] cutting-edge science with remarkable lucidity.” —Booklist
 
This revelatory book tells the story of the scientists who believe the solution to the planet’s ills can be found in the original energy source: the Sun itself. There, at its center, the fusion of 620 million tons of hydrogen every second generates an unfathomable amount of energy. By replicating even a tiny piece of the Sun’s power on Earth, we can secure all the heat and energy we would ever need. The simple yet extraordinary ambition of nuclear-fusion scientists has garnered many skeptics, but, as A Piece of the Sun makes clear, large-scale nuclear fusion is scientifically possible—and perhaps even preferable to other options. Clery argues passionately and eloquently that the only thing keeping us from harnessing this cheap, clean and renewable energy is our own shortsightedness.
 
“Surprisingly sprightly…Clery walks readers through the history of fusion study, from Lord Kelvin, Albert Einstein and a large cast of peculiar physicists, to all manner of international politics—e.g., the darts and feints of the Cold War, the braces applied by OPEC in the wake of the 1973 war among Israel, Egypt and Syria. Clery negotiates the hard science with aplomb.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“A timely perspective on truly urgent science.” —Booklist
 
“Ultimately, Clery argues that developing a source of energy that won’t damage the climate—or ever run out—is worth striving for.” —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781468310412
Publisher: ABRAMS, Inc.
Publication date: 09/01/2022
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 295
File size: 3 MB
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Daniel Clery studied theoretical physics at York University. As a news editor for Science magazine since 1993, Clery has covered many of the biggest science news stories of our time.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Why Fusion? 11

Chapter 2 Britain: Thonemann and the Pinch 31

Chapter 3 United States: Spitzer and the Stellarator 73

Chapter 4 Russia: Artsimovich and the Tokamak 109

Chapter 5 Tokamaks Take Over 133

Chapter 6 Fusion by Laser 189

Chapter 7 One Big Machine 241

Chapter 8 If Not Now, When? 273

Further Reading 309

Acknowledgments 311

Index 313

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher


“Explaining cutting-edge science with remarkable lucidity . . . Clery illuminates the reasons for large investments in fusion as an energy alternative the world desperately needs.”—Booklist
 
“A surprisingly sprightly tour d’horizon of the pursuit of fusion energy, from Science deputy news director Clery.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A decades-long roller-coaster ride of 

disappointment and hope.” —NBCNews.com

“A solid no-nonsense primer for those interested in fusion’s history.” —Science News

“Clery chronicles the march of fusion projects and innovative physicists . . . a prodigious realm of pinch plasmas, stellarators and tokamaks.” —Nature

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