Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald, Germany have broken previous fusion records and set a new benchmark for reactor performance using the experimental Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) stellarator.

In the recent experiments, the W7-X outperformed previous benchmarks, especially over how long the plasma can be sustained.

This advancement is crucial because maintaining a hot, dense plasma long enough is the key to making fusion power viable.

Fusion energy mimics the process that powers stars. To make it happen on Earth, researchers must heat hydrogen atoms to tens of millions of degrees, turning them into plasma.