Concept Borrowed From Video Games Leads To Fusion Energy Breakthrough

Nuclear fusion, an energy generation method driven by the combination of two hydrogen atoms, has long been sought for its potential as a near-limitless source of energy. In the pursuit of cheap and attainable fusion energy, scientists recently achieved an important breakthrough drawn from an unlikely source: video game technology.

Drawing from algorithmic innovations in the video game industry, researchers from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) in South Korea were able to achieve a 15x increase in computation speed in predicting where and when particles would collide in nuclear fusion reactions. Specifically, the scientists adapted collision detection algorithms, which are fundamental calculations done in video games to produce realistic models of how objects interact in space.

Predicting particle collision is vital for progressing fusion technology. The quest for profitable fusion energy has long been stymied by fusion's high energy and computational costs, and the high costs of current fusion reactors. As the scientists stated in their press release, fusion reactors require the injection of extremely high-energy particles; while collisions between particles are desired, the energy of the particles makes collisions with reactors walls highly likely, too. Particles that hit reactor walls may destabilize the reaction, reduce the effectiveness of the fusion process, or even harm the reactor. This algorithmic advancement could allow engineers and scientists to make reactors safer, more efficient, and more stable.

We have produced nuclear energy from fission (the splitting of atoms) since the 1950s, but this process requires extractive mining to collect the necessary materials, usually uranium, and high-tech and often dangerous equipment in the form of uranium enrichment and reaction facilities. Fusion, which is the process by which stars produce heat and light (and create the elements from which all planets and lifeforms are made), is in theory preferable as it fuses hydrogen atoms, which are readily available without extractive mining. As such, fusion is often thought of as a highly desirable form of sustainable energy production.

However, progress toward efficient fusion has been slow and occasionally challenged by exaggerated or fraudulent claims. Currently, fusion is extremely expensive, requiring massive amounts of energy to heat particles up to the point where they will fuse. Despite these obstacles, profitable fusion energy has gotten closer to reality over the past decade, driven by breakthroughs like this from UNIST.