SCIENTISTS ACHIEVE RECORD SHATTERING RESULTS AFTER TESTING LIMITLESS ENERGY DEVICE

In a groundbreaking leap toward cleaner more affordable energy, scientists in France held a fusion reaction steady for over 22 minutes - shattering the previous world record. If that number sounds insignificant, here's why it's a big deal: That is 1,337 seconds of controlled blazing-hot plasma, the critical ingredient needed to power nuclear fusion, a nearly limitless energy source that does not rely on polluting fuels like gas, coal, or oil.

This milestone brings us one step closer to a dream energy future: one where our homes, cities, and electric cars are powered by a technology that mimics the sun - minus the radioactive waste and environmental damage of traditional nuclear power.

Nuclear fusion has the capability to solve a major problem with polluting energy sources. Right now, our power mostly comes from dirty energy that pollutes the air and contributes to extreme weather: While solar and wind energy are gaining momentum, fusion offers something different: the possibility of continuous, around-the-clock

clean energy using hydrogen - the most common element in the universe - as fuel.

Fusion works by merging lightweight atoms together at super-high temperatures (think 180 million degrees (Fahrenheit), releasing massive amounts of energy in the process. The only by-product is helium, a harmless gas.

So how did the scientists get here? Inside a doughnut shaped machine called a tokamak, researchers, in southern France carefully manipulated magnetic fields to contain a swirling, ultra-hot plasma for over 22 minutes. Thats no small feat.

Maintaining stability in a reaction this intense is notoriously tricky. Even minor fluctuations can cause the whole process to shut down.

Dr Anne -Isabelle Etienvre, a lead scientist from the French Energy Commission, confirmed that "experiments will continue with increased power," giving us a hint of even more breakthroughs ahead.