Unlike nuclear fission (which involves uranium), nuclear fusion only needs hydrogen ions and produces no toxic waste. Nuclear energy as we know it today is generated through fission—the process of splitting atomic nuclei, which produces electricity without emitting greenhouse gases. Nuclear fusion is the same process that powers stars, like our Sun. The Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany is one such monster, and it recently smashed a record in ... well, atom smashing. Maybe 43 seconds doesn’t sound like much, but it’s now the longest plasma duration ever in nuclear fusion, including tokamaks.