Fusion edging closer? Canadian firm triples plasma temperature by squeezing it

Canadian fusion company General Fusion reported that its LM26 machine tripled plasma temperatures using only mechanical compression, reaching 8.4 million degrees Celsius. Unlike traditional fusion approaches using magnets or lasers, LM26 compresses magnetized plasma with a lithium metal liner. The machine also showed tenfold increases in plasma density and magnetic field strength, with no dangerous lithium contamination — a long-standing concern for this type of fusion technology.