Source: Daily Mail - 'Star in a Jar’ Fusion Reactor Works and Promises Infinite Energy

Nature Communications

source: Seeker

New tests verify that Germany's Wendelstein 7-X fusion energy device is on track to safely suspend plasma in magnetic fields.

researchers confirmed that Germany's Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) fusion energy device is on track and working as planned. The space-age system, known as a stellerator, generated its first batch of hydrogen plasma when it was first fired up earlier this year. The new tests basically give scientists the green light to proceed to the next stage of the process.

It works like this: Unlike a traditional fission reactor, which splits atoms of heavy elements to generate energy, a fusion reactor works by fusing the nuclei of lighter atoms into heavier atoms. The process releases massive amounts of energy and produces no radioactive waste. The "fuel" used in a fusion reactor is simple hydrogen, which can be extracted from water.

great source of energy to power peoples homes etc. Now if only they can make it smaller and then put it into an iron suit.

How fast things advance. Will we have intergallatic starships in 50 years? Who knows!

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/11867/20140801/nasa-acknowledges-impossible-fuel-less-drive-may-actually-work.htm

"Fetta's engine works by pushing against particles in what's called empty space, which in turn, creates thrust. Of course, space isn't actually empty, so, in theory, this works. The term for this is "quantum vacuum virtual plasma." In NASA's tests of the system, thrust happened without any need for fuel, making this engine the first of its kind to get the space agency's approval."

Quantum Vacumm engines :)

http://www.fool.com/investing/2016/12/04/what-is-emdrive-nasas-new-space-engine.aspx

They call it the Em-Drive.

"here's the most amazing part: Scientists still can't quite nail down how EmDrive jibes with Newton's Third Law of Motion, as it appears to create thrust without any need to expel propellant."

It works when when we can harvest more energy than we put into it. So no, it currently does not work.

Holy flurking schnitdt. How did I not hear about this? It's 4 days old already. Thanks for posting.

Clickbait title (original article). It's just one more step in the research, many more to go. This reactor doesn't even produce energy...

ITER, the international fusion reactor that will produce electricity (researchers are working together on ITER and the german reactor), is supposed to launch in 2025 and work at full capacity in 2035.

So "It works, infinite energy!" is just clickbait and way too early.

Yeah, I just saw that in the first article I read. Didn't read the one in op yet.

Getting a bit ahead of ourselves aren't we? They've proven they can contain hydrogen plasma. They haven't proven they can actually safely sustain a fusion reaction, and achieve a net positive energy return. There's a ways to go yet, but this is an important step.