The Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany has broken the record for plasma duration in a nuclear fusion reactor.
Fusion reactions were sustained at high performance levels for 43 seconds, which is a major breakthrough in plasma physics.
Unlike nuclear fission (which involves uranium), nuclear fusion only needs hydrogen ions and produces no toxic waste.
Nuclear energy as we know it today is generated through fission—the process of splitting atomic nuclei, which produces electricity without emitting greenhouse gases.
Scientists have long wanted to recreate fusion on Earth because it could deliver clean, virtually limitless power with no carbon emissions and much less radioactive waste than today’s nuclear plants.
The Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany is one such monster, and it recently smashed a record in ... well, atom smashing.
Maybe 43 seconds doesn’t sound like much, but it’s now the longest plasma duration ever in nuclear fusion, including tokamaks. »