Skip to main content

Could we build a miniature sun on Earth? - George Zaidan

149,513 Views

234 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Stars have cores hot and dense enough to force atomic nuclei together, forming larger, heavier nuclei in a process known as fusion. In this process, the mass of the end products is slightly less than the mass of the initial atoms. But that โ€œlostโ€ mass doesnโ€™t disappear โ€” itโ€™s converted to energy ... a lot of energy. So, can we harness this energy to power the world? George Zaidan investigates.

What was demonstrated for the first time ever by scientists at the US National Ignition Facility in 2022?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here ยป

Meet The Creators

  • Educator George Zaidan
  • Director Igor Coric, Artrake Studio
  • Narrator George Zaidan
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu, Brooks Ball
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu, Brooks Ball
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

More from Our Changing Climate