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Since the first hydrogen bomb test showed that the sun’s fusion energy processes could be reproduced on earth, governments and others have funded research into harnessing fusion to produce electricity. Over 30 years later, many national and international research efforts are about to be coordinated into a global project on nuclear fusion – the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER).

This POSTnote examines the international progress towards power from nuclear fusion and its future prospects.

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