US achieves laser-fusion record: what it means for nuclear-weapons research

Scientists at the US Department of Energy s flagship laser facility shattered their own record earlier this month by generating more than 10 quadrillion watts of fusion power for a fraction of a second roughly 700 times the generating capacity of the entire US electrical grid at any given moment. News of the breakthrough has revived hopes that the long-troubled National Ignition Facility (NIF) might yet attain its goal of producing more energy than it consumes in a sustained fusion reaction.

via www.nature.com

Probably this is less of a waste of money than many other things the Feds do with our money. So there’s that.