If your kitchen has a superb rice cooker that can quickly prepare stews and soups, but one day, the head chef tells you that this rice cooker can also "distil infinite energy," you might think it’s utterly absurd, right? Yet, this is precisely the dream of the "future kitchen" brought by the next generation of nuclear fusion technology.

Nuclear fusion has always been regarded as the "Holy Grail" of future energy due to its inexhaustible potential. However, traditional nuclear fusion technology is like an old-fashioned rice cooker that requires a significant amount of time to heat up before producing any results. Now, with the advent of the new generation of nuclear fusion technology, it’s akin to installing an advanced rapid-heating system in the old rice cooker, enabling it to output heat more quickly, steadily, and efficiently, significantly improving energy conversion and sustainability.

We can think of nuclear fusion as a very warm family gathering—in the core of the sun, hydrogen atoms are constantly colliding and fusing, releasing enormous amounts of energy, much like relatives gathering together, dining and laughing. Traditional nuclear fusion reactions are akin to people huddling around a fireplace, where everyone needs to be close to feel the warmth. In contrast, the new generation of technology makes the fireplace much more powerful and enduring, warming the entire room simultaneously.

The two main pillars of the new generation of nuclear fusion technology—magnetic confinement and inertial confinement—are like two unique culinary secrets, each demonstrating a different "art of energy cooking." Magnetic confinement, the elegant "electromagnetic field chef," skillfully utilises an invisible force akin to designing a precise "electromagnetic lid" for the fusion reaction. This lid not only securely locks in the high temperature and energy of the fusion process but also intelligently guides the heat for internal recycling, making each energy conversion more efficient and purer.

Inertial confinement, on the other hand, is more like an impatient "instant burst master." It abandons traditional slow cooking and gathers a massive amount of energy in an instant, igniting the fusion reaction as swiftly as lightning, completing a spectacular culinary masterpiece in the blink of an eye. This "quick and decisive" approach makes the nuclear fusion process faster and more controllable.

However, whether it’s magnetic confinement or inertial confinement, they both rely on the most fundamental and magical "ingredient"—hydrogen. These hydrogen atoms, seemingly ordinary, contain endless energy secrets. They are abundant in the most common substance in our daily lives—water. With just a simple extraction process, these ordinary tap water molecules can be transformed into treasures of future energy.

Moreover, the next generation of nuclear fusion technology boasts a significant advantage: it doesn’t produce the troublesome radioactive waste that traditional nuclear fission does. It’s like striving to minimise kitchen waste while cooking gourmet meals, ensuring that we can enjoy delicious food without leaving behind a pile of difficult-to-handle garbage. As a result, we no longer have to worry about "post-cleanup" work, and the safety of energy use is significantly enhanced, akin to contributing to environmental protection while cooking.

Of course, any new technology faces challenges and difficulties during its development, and the next generation of nuclear fusion technology is no exception. For instance, finding materials that can withstand extreme temperatures and effectively managing and utilising the tremendous energy generated by fusion reactions are problems that researchers must tackle. But just as a novice chef keeps trying, adjusting, and optimising their cooking techniques in the kitchen to ultimately create a top-tier dish, every technological breakthrough is the result of relentless exploration by researchers.

（Writer：Matti）