China's ‘artificial sun' breakthrough brings fusion energy closer to reality

China's nuclear fusion reactor, also known as “artificial sun,” has achieved a major milestone taking humanity one step closer to near-limitless clean energy.

According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) kept plasma stable at extreme densities and the nuclear reactor was able to push plasma beyond its operational range.

The limitation was previously considered a major obstacle in the development of nuclear fusion.

A new study published in the journal Science Advances on January 1, 2026, suggests that the groundbreaking development can provide a pathway to extend density limits in next-generation plasma fusion devices.

A professor in the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Science and Technology of China, Ping Zhu, said, “The findings suggest a practical and scalable pathway,” to achieve near-limitless energy.

Experts suggest nuclear fusion offers energy without nuclear waste or hazards caused by the burning of fossil fuels, thus also safe for the environment. Researchers believe that humans are now one step closer to a new energy source that could be harnessed within a decade.

The current climate crises cannot be solved by nuclear fusion alone, as the technology is still in experimental phase and reactors often consume more energy than they produce. However, researchers remain hopeful that it has the potential to power the world in the future without harming the environment.

The Chinese reactor has yet to achieve fusion ignition, which is the point when the process becomes self-sustaining.