Two German institutions—the University of Rostock and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) research center—have come together to launch HEDI: The High Energy Density Initiative. The initiative will serve as a fusion research hub to investigate the physical processes and extreme conditions associated with nuclear fusion.

HEDI’s research into the behavior of matter at extremely high temperatures and pressures is expected to have applications for future inertial confinement fusion energy projects as well as for basic astronomical knowledge.