What is muon catalysed fusion?
Fusion energy offers a virtually limitless energy source – just like that of the sun and stars. And while the concept of recreating the energy of the sun and stars has been around for decades, the reality has proved much more elusive. First observed in the 1950s, muon catalysed fusion is a well known scientific process where a subatomic particle known as a muon* captures two hydrogen atoms and forces them to fuse, resulting in energetic particle release and helium. Scientists have been producing nuclear fusion reactions from muon catalysed fusion for decades – just not consistently or in sufficient volumes for it to be considered a viable energy source. Star Scientific is working towards overcoming these hurdles by perfecting a world-first technique to economically and constantly produce pions, which immediately decay into muons – an innovation that would finally make sustained, controlled muon catalysed fusion a reality.