International fusion energy project faces delays, says chief

Fixing the problems "is not a question of weeks, but months, even years," Barabaschi said.

The corrosion problem seems to a certain point unavoidable, if they could predict the deterioration some practical measures could have been included to prevent or easily solve it without this investment of time, but the wrong size of the joints seems strangely unjustified for the detailed work that is to be done for this project,

"If tomorrow somebody found another breakthrough that would make my work redundant, I would be very happy," he added.

Maybe not very happy since a lot has been already invested in the project (not only money) but I can understand what he says, if anything could make fusion a practical source of energy a lot of current problems could be solved at least partially and the world would be in a much better place, benefiting everybody.

In the 1950s scientists promised us that clean, safe, cheap nuclear power was going to solve our energy problems, everyone having a mini reactor attached to their home. DDT would sort out those nasty weeds, and we would all be eating little pills like astronauts before donning our jet packs to fly to the office. At least that's what they put on their grant application forms.

This news story is important as it may be the first Brexit benefit unearthed - the UK is not on the list of nations paying for it. Incidentally, to whom do I apply for funds to turn lead into gold? I've already made an initial breakthrough, creating purest green. Gold will surely follow in the years to come. You can't hurry love or scientific progress. My research facility will need to be in Hawaii for important technical reasons. No cash refunded, as per the small print.