Dilithium Crystals Power New Fusion Engine

More good news in the science fiction becomes science fact category. Researchers at University of Huntsville in Alabama have developed a new fusion impulse engine that would cut the travel time to Mars down to as little as six weeks, instead of the six months it currently takes to get to the red planet.

The best part? In the words of PH.D. candidate and team member Ross Cortez, "The fusion fuel we're focusing on is deuterium [a stable isotope of hydrogen] and Li6 [a stable isotope of the metal lithium] in a crystal structure. That's basically dilithium crystals we're using."

Score one more for Gene Roddenberry.