Iran reacts to Trump's 2026 State of the Union, accuses him of "big lies"

Iran accuses Trump of lying in his State of the Union about the country's nuclear ambitions, as the next round of bilateral talks looms.

• Feb 25

Fusion energy: Unlocking the power of the stars

Scientists are conducting experiments to generate clean energy through fusion, the same sub-atomic reaction that powers our Sun, with the aim of constructing plants that produce more energy than they consume.

• Mar 16, 2025

Google turns to nuclear energy for AI

Google announced a deal with energy startup Kairos Power to supply its data centers with electricity from seven small modular nuclear reactors, which still need to be built. A recent study found that by 2026, data centers will consume more than 1,000 terawatt hours of electricity, about the same as the entire nation of Japan. Hank Jenkins-Smith, University of Oklahoma professor of public policy, joins CBS News to explain.

• Oct 15, 2024
• 5:20

Mission launched to sample radioactive debris from Fukushima reactor

Japanese officials launch a complex mission to retrieve a sample of melted fuel debris from a damaged reactor at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

• Sep 10, 2024

Report: China outpacing U.S. in nuclear power

China is outpacing the U.S. by at least a decade in developing nuclear power, according to a new report by the nonprofit Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. Hank Jenkins-Smith, public policy professor at the University of Oklahoma, joins CBS News to examine why the U.S. is falling behind.

• Jun 26, 2024
• 5:09

New nuclear reactor comes online in Georgia

Georgia is home to the nation's newest nuclear reactor. It's bringing clean energy to the state, but the project has run over budget and past its original completion date. Drew Kann, climate and environment reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, joins CBS News to explore the effort.

• May 2, 2024
• 5:50

Lawmakers push for fusion power development

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced a bill supporting the development of nuclear fusion power. Hank Jenkins-Smith, professor of public policy at the University of Oklahoma, joins CBS News to discuss.

• Apr 18, 2024
• 4:55

Military analyst on Russia missile testing

Russia may be planning to test a nuclear-powered missile, according to reporting by The New York Times. The outlet cited satellite images that recently captured aircraft moving near a base in the remote Arctic region of Russia. That movement mirrored launch preparations for earlier missile tests in 2017 and 2018, The New York Times report said. Retired U.S. Army major and military analyst Mike Lyons joined CBS News to discuss what this might mean.

• Oct 4, 2023
• 4:08

Scientists repeat nuclear fusion breakthrough

In December 2022, California scientists achieved a major breakthrough -- a nuclear fusion reaction that produced more energy than was used to create it. Scientists have done it again and this time their results produced even more energy. Professor Peter Hosemann, chair of nuclear and mechanical engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, joins CBS News to discuss the implications of this accomplishment.

• Aug 7, 2023
• 5:40

Inside the nuclear fusion breakthrough

On December 5th, scientists at the National Ignition Facility reached a breakthrough in nuclear fusion by producing a reaction with an energy gain. It could be a step toward a world in the distant future where fusion is a source of power.

• Jan 15, 2023
• 13:11

Nuclear Fusion: Inside the breakthrough that could change our world

On December 5th, scientists at the National Ignition Facility reached a breakthrough in nuclear fusion by producing a reaction with an energy gain. It could be a step toward a world in the distant future where fusion is a source of power.

• Jan 15, 2023

A breakthrough for clean renewable energy

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, after decades of disappointing experiments, has achieved a nuclear fusion reaction that produces more power than it consumes. The breakthrough could be the answer to the world's energy crisis.

• Dec 18, 2022
• 1:09

Fusion energy breakthrough

The U.S. Department of Energy is expected to announce a major milestone in nuclear fusion research. Sources say scientists for the first time have been able to produce a fusion reaction that creates a net energy gain to develop a limitless and clean source of power that would end reliance on fossil fuels. Lilia Luciano reports.

• Dec 13, 2022
• 2:48

Nuclear fusion energy breakthrough announced

The U.S. Department of Energy announced Tuesday a monumental milestone in nuclear fusion research: a "net energy gain" was achieved for the first time in history by scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm called it "one of the most impressive scientific feats of the 21st century." Watch the announcement.

• Dec 13, 2022
• 4:27

U.S. says nuclear fusion breakthrough "will go down in the history books"

Nuclear fusion has been considered the holy grail of energy creation that some say could save humans from extinction.

• Dec 13, 2022

What is nuclear fusion, and could it power our future?

Scientists at a U.S. government lab have announced a breakthrough in efforts to create technology that could one day offer humanity a clean, unlimited source of energy.

• Dec 13, 2022

U.S. teases nuclear fusion breakthrough

Energy Department officials are promising to share details on what's billed as a major breakthrough in the field of nuclear fusion. CBS News' John Dickerson explores the potential significance with Professor Anna Erickson, who teaches nuclear and radiological engineering at Georgia Tech.

• Dec 12, 2022
• 4:48

U.S. expected to announce major nuclear fusion energy breakthrough

Rep. Ted Lieu of California said if the announcement this week is what's expected, "it could be a game changer for the world."

• Dec 12, 2022

A clean energy quest so big, the U.S. and Russia are working together

CBS News goes inside the "world's most complex machine," a multinational experiment to create a sustainable "energy future" for the whole planet

• Oct 21, 2022