The equation E=mc2 comes into play: if you weigh the deuterium and tritium before the reaction and then the products after fusion (the neutron and helium nucleus), these will weigh a little less. In Einstein’s equation, liberated mass (represented by “m”) is multiplied by the speed of light squared (c2), yielding a massive amount of energy.

“One pound of Fusion fuel is equivalent to the amount of energy you would have in 5000 barrels of oil, which equals 3.5 million pounds of coal,” says Ma. So, imagine if a glass of water were deuterium and tritium fuel could effectively power Melbourne for an entire day.