Scientists have demonstrated a new plasma operating regime that could help solve two of fusion energy’s biggest challenges at once. Inside a fusion reactor, matter is heated to temperatures hotter than the Sun and confined by powerful magnetic fields. But keeping this superheated plasma stable long enough to produce usable energy remains one of the [...]

Scientists have set a new record for superconductivity at normal pressure, bringing the field closer to practical, real-world applications. Researchers at the University of Houston have achieved a major milestone in the race toward practical superconductors, setting a new temperature record under everyday pressure conditions. The advance could eventually help reduce energy waste, lower costs,…

Scientists say the path to commercial fusion power may hinge on better ways to measure the behavior of superheated plasma. A new DOE-backed report highlights advanced diagnostics, AI tools, and tougher sensors as key technologies that could accelerate the fusion energy race. Running a fusion reactor safely and consistently requires scientists to carefully track the [...]

A persistent asymmetry in fusion exhaust has challenged researchers for years. New simulations show that plasma core rotation, working together with cross-field drifts, determines where particles land inside a tokamak. Tokamaks are often described as giant magnetic “doughnuts,” built to keep an ultra-hot soup of charged particles suspended long enough for atomic nuclei to fuse [...]