thermal nuclear fusion

Thermal nuclear fusion is a process where atomic nuclei, typically isotopes of hydrogen like deuterium and tritium, are heated to extremely high temperatures until they move so fast that they collide and merge, forming a heavier nucleus. During this fusion, a huge amount of energy is released, as the mass of the resulting nucleus is slightly less than the original parts—this lost mass converts into energy according to Einstein's E=mc². Fusion powers the sun and stars, offering a potential source of clean, abundant energy here on Earth once we can control and sustain these reactions safely and efficiently.