Scientists at a nuclear fusion reactor in China have made a significant breakthrough in operating reactor vessels at high plasma density. They managed to increase the plasma density 65% above a critical threshold, reaching a stable state that overcomes a long-standing barrier to achieving burning plasma—the stage where a fusion reaction can sustain itself.
Fusion power works like the reactions that happen inside the sun. In this process, hydrogen atoms collide and fuse into helium, releasing large amounts of energy. However, for fusion to happen, the hydrogen atoms must be packed tightly together and heated to extremely high temperatures, often exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius.
This achievement is a major step forward in the quest to create clean and virtually limitless energy, as burning plasma is essential for making fusion a practical and sustainable power source for the future.