"Credit is given to Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and the Department of Energy under whose auspices this work was performed." The interior of the NIF target chamber . The service module carrying technicians can be seen on the left. The target positioner, which holds the target, is on the right.

The sun provides 99.8% of the energy on the earth, providing the original source of energy for everything from oil, to coal, and even the food we eat to keep ourselves operating.

It’s no wonder that solar energy has caused quite a bit of hype, but now, scientists seem to be on the verge of a new way of harnessing the massive amount of energy produced by a star; making their own.

In a process known as nuclear fusion, atoms are brought together, forming new elements, and producing a massive amount of energy. This process is 100 times more efficient than our current nuclear power plants, and it doesn’t produce any harmful toxic waste.

The search for nuclear fusion has long been a goal of the scientific community, but recent breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility make the dream suddenly seem within our reach, through an advanced system of lasers, mirrors, light amplifiers, and other such devices, the NIF bombards hydrogen atoms with heat, theoretically causing them to fuse together into helium, and producing a massive reaction.

As the advent of this new technology approaches, it seems we may soon be able to end our energy dependence once and for all.