Fusion reactor (ITER)

The European guys seem pretty convinced that the research of thermonuclear fusion can lead somewhere, although not much progress was seen in the last 50 years.



The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) may be built in Cadarache, France, or in Japan, and the different countries are competing to "win" the project.

Brussels has "warned" that it may go ahead and build the first reactor with anyone who will be friendly enough.

http://www.cnn.com/ ...

I am not sure what are the estimated chances that such a reactor will work and it seems as a more important question than the location. ;-) It's pretty clear that if the thermonuclear fusion reactor worked, many other developed countries would try to build their own - because it would be a big deal.

Such a reactor would be much more environmentally friendly and more efficient than the fission reactors. Moreover, the "fuel" could essentially be the water in the world's oceans.