What is thermonuclear fusion? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice discuss the Department of Energy’s breakthrough in nuclear fusion and what it means for our energy future. Can we do nuclear fusion in a controlled setting? Find out how the worlds most powerful lasers at The Lawrence Livermore Lab got hydrogen atoms to come together. How do you get two protons to join the same nucleus? Learn about the fundamental forces that make nuclear fusion possible as well as really difficult. We explore E = MC2 and how it continues to transform civilization. What does unlocking nuclear fusion mean for the future of sustainable energy? Get the NEW Cosmic Queries book (5/5 ⭐s on Amazon!): https://amzn.to/3dYIEQF Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #neildegrassetyson 00:00 - Big Nuclear Fusion Announcement 01:30 - How thermonuclear fusion works 06:17 - Lasers & Converting to Energy 08:25 - Harnessing Fusion for Sustainable Energy