---
title: "Studying the Sun’s Atmosphere Could Make Fusion Power a Reality"
description: "By studying the plasma in the Sun's atmosphere, we could learn how to control it here on Earth and finally make fusion energy a reality."
date: "2019-05-24"
modified: "2019-05-24"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/sun-plasma-atmosphere-fusion-energy"
categories:
  - "Energy"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "fusion energy"
  - "Plasma"
  - "Sun"
  - "the digest"
---

# Studying the Sun’s Atmosphere Could Make Fusion Power a Reality

![By studying the plasma in the Sun's atmosphere, we could learn how to control it here on Earth and finally make fusion energy a reality.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/sun-plasma-atmosphere-fusion-energy.png>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA\</em\>*

## Solar Plasma

Scientists from Dublin, Ireland and Paris, France [just reported](<https://phys.org/news/2019-05-scientists-uncover-exotic-sun-atmosphere.html>) some amazing observations from a massive ultraviolet radio telescope in central France: they managed to image radio pulses and watch plasmas become unstable in the Sun's atmosphere.

Plasma is extremely difficult to study and observe. But by studying the plasma in the Sun's atmosphere — its gases exist primarily in plasma form [since, obviously, it's extremely hot](<https://www.space.com/17160-sun-atmosphere.html>) — the researchers say we could learn how to control the plasma here on Earth and finally make fusion energy a reality.

## Fusion Control

For fusion energy to occur, you need tightly contained and extremely hot and pressurized plasma inside a reactor. But controlling that plasma is extremely difficult.

"The only problem is that nuclear fusion plasmas are highly unstable," said Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies professor Peter Gallagher [in a statement](<https://phys.org/news/2019-05-scientists-uncover-exotic-sun-atmosphere.html>) about the new work. "As soon as the plasma starts generating energy, some natural process switches off the reaction."

But that's where studying an abundant source of the stuff in our Solar System comes in handy.

"By studying how plasmas become unstable on the Sun, we can learn about how to control them on Earth," Gallagher added.

**READ MORE:** [Scientists uncover exotic matter in the sun's atmosphere](<https://phys.org/news/2019-05-scientists-uncover-exotic-sun-atmosphere.html>) \[*Trinity College*\]

**More on energy:** *[Scientists Have a New Idea to Make a Fusion Reactor Practical](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-fusion-reactor-lithium>)*

## Author
I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)