World's Largest Laser

The U.S Department of Energy has recently completed what is now the largest laser on Earth. Twelve years in the making, this laser located in Livermore, California has many goals. The main purpose of this gigantic structure is to recreate nuclear fusion. Unlike Nuclear fission which splits atoms to create energy, the process used in nuclear power plants, nuclear fusion creates no radioactive waste. Harnessing the energy created from fusion would change all plans for future energy sources. Although the process is extremely costly( the structure cost $3.5 billion) if we were able to control and sustain this source of energy it could swing the current state of our pollution emissions.


http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=worlds-largest-laser-nif-2009-04-01