Nuclear fusion has produced more energy than ever before in an experiment, bringing the world a step closer to the dream of limitless, clean power.Nuclear fusion is the process that powers stars. Scientists believe it could produce vast amounts of energy without heating up our atmosphere.The result came from the lab's final experiment after more than 40 years of fusion research.
But as Dr Aneeqa Khan, Research Fellow in Nuclear Fusion, University of Manchester explained, this is not straightforward. It is clear we are still a long way off from nuclear fusion power plants, but with every experiment it is bringing us one step closer. The Joint European Torus facility, was constructed in Culham in Oxford in the late 1970s and until the end of last year was the world's most advanced experimental fusion reactor. All experiments ceased in December.
Prof Ambrogio Fasoli, programme manager at EUROfusion, said: "Our successful demonstration... instils greater confidence in the development of fusion energy. Beyond setting a new record, we achieved things we've never done before and deepened our understanding of fusion physics."