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Just like fusion. But without the strong theoretical underpinnings so .. worse than fusion.

"Breakthrough" is the whiteboard covered in maths and an empty box labelled "magic here"

Humanity has known for decades that there's no known metal that will survive fusion's neutron output. They all turn into radioactive garbage.

Until we solve that, why bother with fusion?

From my admittedly limited knowledge gleaned from occasional PopSci articles posted here on HN over the years, don't they use plasma trapped in magnetic fields to contain the reaction and not a particular metal?

It's about the radiation, which isn't contained by the magnetic field. The latter "just" keeps the plasma from melting the walls.

Well, the magnetic or inertial confinement keeps the reactants dense/close enough to react.

The heat itself is entirely absorbed by the walls. As well as the previously mentioned neutron flux.

Also, heres one of many sources- this was found as part of looking up HFIR's name.

https://arpa-e.energy.gov/sites/default/files/B03-Wirth-Fusi...

Fast breeder reactors seem to survive fast neutrons.

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