Why it matters: As the world continues its shift toward cleaner energy sources, a discovery of a massive lithium deposit in Arkansas could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of transportation and energy storage. But challenges in its extraction and production must first be addressed.
Forward-looking: Fusion energy is often regarded as the holy grail of power generation because it harnesses the same atomic process that powers the sun. The concept involves forcing atomic nuclei to fuse together, unleashing immense energy. If scientists can crack the code using lasers, it could lead to a virtually limitless supply of safe, sustainable energy without any carbon emissions.
Bon appétit: Deep space exploration will not be possible without access to food sources. Bringing astronauts new ration supplies from Earth will likely be impossible. However, researchers think they have solved this fundamental survival issue. Asteroids.