Nuclear Fusion Took Big Leaps in 2025. Here’s What Mattered Most

The promise of nuclear fusion feels simple. Just as stars fuse hydrogen into heavier elements to produce energy, a fusion reactor generates massive amounts of energy by combining lightweight particles with minimal risk to the environment.

That sounds like the dream scenario for clean energy. That said, the many challenges of nuclear fusion make it seem more like fantasy than reality; fusion is always ten years away, as the joke goes.

But that doesn’t mean scientists have given up. In fact, quite the opposite. 2025 witnessed a surge in fusion research from both established and newcomer stakeholders. Scientists reported increased fusion energy outputs compared to previous years, improved reactor hardware, and a wide range of experimental and theoretical developments supporting different