In what has been heralded as a major breakthrough for fusion energy research, scientists at the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) have used magnetic coils to apply a 3D magnetic field and stabilise instabilities in a spherical tokamak plasma for the first time.

UKAEA said in a statement that the achievement marks a significant step forward in the development of sustainable fusion energy within spherical tokamaks.

To achieve fusion using UKAEA’s Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (Mast) Upgrade facility near Oxford, England, fusion fuel needs to be confined at high temperature within the tokamak to create a plasma.