The process by which lighter atomic nuclei combine to form heavier nuclei, releasing enormous amounts of energy in the process. This reaction powers all stars and is responsible for creating most elements in the universe.
From Latin 'nucleus' meaning kernel and 'fusio' meaning a melting or pouring. The term was coined in the 1930s when scientists discovered how atomic nuclei could be fused together under extreme conditions.
Nuclear fusion in stars is the ultimate recycling program - it turns the simplest element, hydrogen, into helium while converting a tiny bit of mass into the energy that lights up the entire universe! Every second, the Sun fuses 600 million tons of hydrogen into helium.
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