"It changes everything" - startup's fusion reactor nets 5x energy gain

Plus: Honda's EV bike in a suitcase, pigeon-guided missiles, green hydrogen production in California Nuclear fusion packs the promise of boundless clean energy - if only we could harness it here on Earth. A UK startup may have brought that day closer, claiming an elusive net energy gain from an unconventional fusion approach. Rather than pursuing complex hydrogen plasma reactors, ENG8 uses simple heat and water dissociation as its nuclear fuel. This lean method already outputs over 5 times more energy than it consumes, according to one independent validator. While feasibility at scale remains unproven, the advance lights an unexpected path to fusion power. We have all the details on this promising development in today’s [Must Read](. ⚡️ Also today, excitement around AI has soared since ChatGPT’s launch, but it’s just one facet of a much more fundamental change. In [this issue of Perspectives]( ThoughtWorks domain specialists explain how to shape strategies for a new age of AI. Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. What's the latest? VIDEO OF THE DAY [Is Nikola Tesla Overrated?]( Pigeon-Guided Missiles and Human-Pigeon History Pigeons have played an astonishing role in human history, from guiding missiles to excelling in search and rescue missions. Today, we present the story of the fascinating and often unexpected interactions between pigeons and humans throughout the years. SUPPORT INTERESTING ENGINEERING Invest in science and engineering Insider access to exclusive content, featuring riveting stories that take you right to the heart of the action. Engage with our thriving online community, dive into captivating science discoveries, and stay informed with our enlightening weekly premium newsletters. With IE+, quality reporting is more than just news - and it is Ad-Free. [SUBSCRIBE]( HOT TOPICS - 🛟 [How US submarine’s tethered buoy helps in stealth nuclear strike orders]( Ohio class ballistic missile submarines deploy a tethered buoy system for covert receipt of signals that are critical to their deterrent role. - 💸 [China’s new single-shaft turbofan engine is 80% cheaper than US]( China has allegedly developed a cheaper, more fuel-efficient turbofan engine that it hopes it can mass produce to make cheaper drones. - 🚓 [This smart riot control gun refuses to shoot protesters in the head]( The projectiles are accurate enough to target a single individual and have a potent deterrent effect similar to a baton strike. - 🌟 [Starfish is all head, no butt, genome researchers find]( Many experts assumed that sea stars didn't have heads because of their remarkable five-armed symmetry and the lack of a prominent head or tail. - 🏛 [Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible got Joe Biden worried about AI]( Biden signed an executive order requiring AI developers to share safety test results with the US government. Must Read [Startup using water as nuclear fuel claims net energy gain milestone]( UK startup ENG8 claims a pivotal fusion energy milestone — consistently achieving over five times more energy output than input. This net gain was validated by an independent certification agency, Underwriters Laboratories. Unlike mainstream hydrogen fusion, ENG8 uses water molecules as fuel in a proprietary catalytic system involving heat and dissociation. While most facilities pursue magnetically-confined plasma fusion, ENG8's approach relies simply on temperature and pressure. If scalable commercially, it could provide carbon-free electricity from readily available resources like water. Though still at an early-stage, any viable fusion reactor is something of a holy grail for clean energy. ENG8 claim their unorthodox water-based method could be deployed in their EnergiCell product as early as next year. Click below to learn more, and watch a video of the validation process and interviews with key ENG8 personnel and investors. [[Read More]( [Energy]( [♻️ North America’s largest green hydrogen plant now operational]( The SoHyCal facility in California currently runs on biogas but will shift to solar power for 100 percent renewable hydrogen by 2024. The emissions-free hydrogen will supply California's growing mobility sector. As hydrogen gains traction for energy storage and transportation, the plant signifies major progress in scaling up sustainable production. Learn more about the promise of green hydrogen for a decarbonized future. [[Read More]( [Transportation]( [💼 Honda launches its foldable briefcase EV in the US]( Honda's quirky new foldable electric "Motocompacto" micro-motorcycle aims to offer cleaner urban mobility. The compact 3-wheeler folds into a briefcase for easy portability and storage. With a 12 mile range and just $995 price tag, it provides a fun, eco-friendly mobility solution for short trips. Click below to learn more and watch a video of Motocompacto hitting in the streets. [[Read More]( [Innovation]( [🚀 Dream Chaser: US firm’s space cargo ship closer to launch]( Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane is nearing its first cargo launch to the ISS after years of development. The Soviet-inspired design will undergo final testing before heading to its Florida launch site and liftoff in April next year. Dream Chaser’s versatile Shooting Star cargo module adds capability for ISS servicing and trash disposal. Discover more about this innovative spaceplane and its upcoming flight. [[Read More]( job alert In this section you’ll find the latest jobs as featured on: [jobs.interestingengineering.com]( [Principal Data Platform Engineer]( at CarGurus Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States(US) [Corrosion Engineer]( at Southern Company Naperville(US) [Engineering Manager - Databases]( at Fivetran Ontario, Toronto, Canada(CA) [Accounting Software Engineer]( at FundGuard Boston(US) [Mid Level Program Analyst (Risk Manager/Engineer) (SP15)]( at CRL Technologies Lexington Park(US) [Senior Manufacturing Engineer]( at Walmart Advanced Systems & Robotics Andover(US) QUESTION OF THE DAY Which fusion power method is most likely to become commercially viable first? [Tokamak reactors (e.g. ITER)]( [Inertial confinement fusion (e.g. NIF)]( [ENG8’s catalytic water fusion]( [Magneto-inertial fusion (e.g. Helion Energy)]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Only eight percent of voters in yesterday’s poll expect AI to rule out wars, but 30 percent expect ethical AI could reduce human casualties. 40% It's “window dressing” for unethical activities 30% If it reduces casualties, yes 22% If it maintains peaces, yes 8% AI could make conflict obsolete “The results are quite brilliant, the stability of the fusion reaction was incredible, and this development can make the biggest difference to climate change of any other technology on earth. It changes everything – faster than you think.” Valeria Tyutina, CEO at ENG8 THINGS WE LOVE [OLEEK Fake Plants]( [$25.99]( [Everything Is Figureoutable Sign]( [$12.99]( [Inspirational Wall Art Decor]( [$20.99]( [Tabletop Bowling Game]( [$14.99]( AND ANOTHER THING - [DNA-assembled quasicrystals create stable intricate nanoscale structures]( - [14,000-year-old hyena poop reveals secrets of extinct wooly rhinos]( - [Low oxygen levels prompted the appearance of first multicellular organisms]( [premium] - [Radio telescope detects supermassive black hole feeding on dense gas]( - [New blood test detects lethal cancers way before symptoms appear]( - [Can plasma transfusions really reverse aging?]( [premium] - [Scientists probe into a rat’s inner thoughts, find imagination]( - [Just one sleepless night can fight depression for days, claims study]( - [Scientists 3D-print living brain structures in a lab — why it matters]( [premium] - [Diverse cannabis smells attributed to new compounds, not terpenes]( Need help with advertising? 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