How did Ernest Rutherford contribute to the first nuclear fusion reaction?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

In 1934, Ernest Rutherford contributed to the first nuclear fusion reaction by working alongside Australian physicist Mark Oliphant and German physical chemist Paul Harteck at the Cavendish Laboratory.1

Utilizing a supply of heavy water, the team bombarded deuterium with deuterons, which resulted in the production of tritium. This experiment is recognized as the first successful instance of a fusion reaction.1