Germany just turned on a new experimental fusion reactor | The Verge
Today, scientists began the first tests of an ambitious new fusion reactor in Greifswald, Germany. Dubbed W7-X, the new reactor is based on the Stellerator design, in contrast to the Tokamak reactors that dominate much fusion research. It's still unclear whether the new design will have an advantage in producing a workable fusion reaction, but the W7-X represents a major step forward in researching that question. The experiment conducted today was relatively simple, heating hydrogen particles into a suspended plasma state, but it represents a crucial first step in the facility's ambitious research plans.