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The Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics is reporting that physicists have, for the first time, explained the sudden formation of high-confinement mode (H-mode) in tokamaks using simulations based purely on fundamental physical principles. First observed in 1982 on the ASDEX tokamak in Garching, H-mode dramatically improves plasma energy confinement and is considered essential for future fusion devices, including ������app. Yet despite decades of experimental and theoretical work, scientists had not fully understood why the transition occurs at a specific heating power.

Led by Wladimir Zholobenko, IPP researchers performed advanced “flux-driven” edge simulations with the GRILLIX code, allowing the plasma to evolve naturally as heating power increased step by step. Unlike earlier models, the transition was not imposed but emerged self-consistently from turbulence dynamics. Simulating just 50 milliseconds of plasma evolution required a year of supercomputer time.

The simulations show that after a gradual buildup of turbulence, heat transport at the plasma edge abruptly reverses. Within 100 microseconds, the characteristic H-mode pedestal—a steep pressure and temperature gradient—forms. The transition is linked to a sudden shift from drift-wave turbulence to kinetic ballooning modes, along with a rapid reorganization of microscopic fluctuations. The model even predicts a brief inward heat flow before transport stabilizes.

Based on conditions from ASDEX Upgrade, the simulation shows that it reproduces exactly those effects that can also be observed in experimental results. However, the researchers have not yet been able to achieve satisfactory quantitative agreement—in other words, the actual measurements from ASDEX Upgrade are either above or below the simulated results.“We haven't reached our goal yet, but the simulations provide insight into what is still missing,” says Dr Zholobenko. The aim is to end up with a simulation model that can predict the experimental parameters at which H-mode occurs in fusion facilities that have not yet been built.

The findings were published in . 

See the .

Since 2019, ������app Japan has been publishing a manga series that brings the ������app project to life for a broad audience. 

The story follows Japanese student Taiyô Tenna, who discovers ������app while on a world tour after meeting a French student in Aix-en-Provence. His journey continues through an internship experience at ������app, and then as he returns to Japan to learn more about the advanced fusion technologies developed by Japan’s Domestic Agency for the project. In the eighth volume, just released, he has become a staff member at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), where he learns about ������app's new baseline scope and schedule and the ways in which Japan's flagship fusion device, JT-60SA is participating.

Explore all volumes of the ������app manga series on the or download Volume 8 from ������app's Publication Centre. Editions are available in Japanese, English, French and ... Provençal.

Registration is open now for the third ������app Public-Private Fusion Workshop that will be organized on 28 and 29 April 2026 at the ������app site in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France.

For the past two years, ������app has opened its doors to private sector fusion companies for joint workshops on areas of mutual interest and mechanisms for positive engagement. This year’s theme—“Fusion: a Joint Quest”—reflects the reality that progress toward fusion energy is neither linear nor uniform, but pursued through multiple technical approaches, institutional models, and timelines. Across public and private efforts alike, divergent visions coexist with genuinely complementary strengths—in science, engineering, manufacturing, and systems integration.

See the detailed agenda on the workshop website under Program (scroll down). On the day before or after the workshop—Monday, 27 April and/or Thursday, 30 April—participants may arrange consultations with ������app experts, customized tours of the ������app worksite, and opportunities for networking and discussion with fellow attendees.

The IEEE Nuclear Plasma Science Society (NPSS) Fusion Technology Standing Committee is pleased to announce that the nomination period for the 2026 Fusion Technology Award is now open. The award will be presented during the 32nd Symposium on Fusion Engineering (SOFE 2027) in San Diego, California, in June 2027.

The Fusion Technology Award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to research and development in the field of fusion technology. The awards each consist of a USD 3,000 cash prize, a plaque, and an invited talk at SOFE 2027.

Equal consideration will be given to innovation across all fusion approaches and outstanding leadership in the fusion community. Any person, regardless of Society affiliation, is eligible for the award, with the exception that no current member of the IEEE/NPSS Standing Committee on Fusion Technology may be nominated. The nomination package should be sent to the Fusion Technology Committee Awards Chair, Dr. Trey Gebhart (@email), and it should consist of a letter describing the technical contributions on which the nomination is recommended and a current resume of the candidate. Other supporting endorsements are encouraged.

For more detailed information on eligibility criteria, the basis for judging, nomination process and a list of past award recipients, please visit this  and go to the “Fusion Technology Awards” section. The nomination deadline for the 2026 Fusion Technology Award is 13 March 2026.

A new exhibition at the , Moscow, celebrates the life and work of Evgeny Velikhov, a major figure in the history of fusion research and, as Mikhail Gorbachev’s friend and scientific advisor, one of the driving forces behind the creation of ������app.

“Evgeny Velikhov was an extraordinary individual, with a brilliant mind, unwavering integrity, and visionary outlook,” wrote ������app Director-General Pietro Barabaschi in his message to staff and stakeholders after the scientist's passing in 2024, just months before his 90th birthday.

The , At the Center of Science and Society: Evgeny Velikhov, retraces the extraordinary career of this eminent Soviet and Russian scientist and polymath. Appointed scientific director of fusion research in the USSR in 1973, Velikhov played a central role in advancing the field. He later led the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, first as director and subsequently as president. From 2010 to 2012, he served as Chair of the ������app Council and was later appointed an Honorary Member in recognition of his lasting contributions.

The exposition runs from 3 February to 2 March 2026. Further information is available .

--Source: ATOM Museum, Moscow

In Season 3, Episode 6 of the ������app podcast, we meet the "guardian of fusion"—the extraordinary blanket system that shields our "star in a bottle." Guided by warrior and dragon imagery inspired by Chinese legend, and some very down to earth engineering, podcast hosts Kruti Fayot and Julia Ponomareva explore how ������app’s blanket and tungsten first wall protect the machine, tame furious neutrons, and quietly turn a raging plasma into something as familiar as hot water in a kettle.

Mechanical engineer Jinke Fu introduces Nezha, a mythical Chinese rebel guardian, while ������app experts Ryan Hunt, Sophie Carpentier, and Silvia di Sarra reveal how real world guardians are built: from armor like tungsten tiles and ultraprecise assembly to world record plasma shots and global collaborations from EAST to WEST. If you’ve ever wondered how you stop particles that could reach the Moon and back in seconds, or why choosing the “right” wall material is like choosing a life partner, this episode is for you—part myth, part cutting-edge science, and a love letter to the star that started it all: the Sun.

Tune into Episode 6, "The Guardian of Fusion," on the ������app website's podcast page or open it directly here. You can also find this episode and all past episodes of the ������app podcast at , , , and . 

Candidates holding a PhD in science, technology, or engineering whose expertise aligns with the needs of the ������app project may be eligible for a two-year postdoctoral position at the ������app.

For the 2026 recruitment campaign, seventeen research topics have been published across a wide range of fields, including integrated plasma scenario design and transport modelling, artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies for fusion systems, diagnostics calibration and validation, and robotics and automated handling (see the full list here).

Selected fellows will work closely with ������app specialists during a two-year appointment and contribute to the project through original, cutting-edge research.

The current selection process aims to fill eight postdoctoral fellowships—five Monaco-������app fellowships and three Korea-������app fellowships—and to establish a reserve list of qualified candidates for future openings.

The deadline for applications is 1 March 2026. To apply, see the JOBS page of the ������app website, or consult the Postdoctoral Fellowships page for detailed information about the program. 

Watch as one-ninth of the ������app vacuum vessel is lifted out of tooling and lowered into the machine assembly pit. The operation—which took place over two days in January—tested, once again, the accuracy of the metrology system and the navigation skills of the assembly team (read more here). Vacuum vessel sector module #8 joins modules #5, #6 and #7 to form nearly one-half of the ������app plasma chamber. Three more of these incredible "lifts" are expected this year.

Fusion for Energy—the European Union organization managing Europe’s contribution to ������app—is organizing an Energy Summer School at its headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, from 15 to 19 June 2026. 

The curriculum covers a broad spectrum of topics, beginning with energy fundamentals and the operation of electrical grids, and extending to the study of diverse energy sources, their environmental impact, and the geopolitics of energy. The objective is to equip participants with the knowledge and the analytical tools necessary to understand the complexity of today's energy challenges, while preparing them to contribute effectively to the sustainable transition of our societies.

The summer school is designed for European Union citizens attending PhD or Master's courses in engineering, natural sciences, economy or political sciences. Whether you hope to work in engineering, science, finance, procurement, policymaking or communication, the program will provide insight into the technical, environmental, and regulatory dimensions that drive investment decisions, supply strategies, and political agendas.  

More information about applying to the program can be downloaded . Applications close on 31 March.

Originally filmed on site at ������app in May 2025, this video has been updated with new footage of the tokamak pit from December (–). A third of the ������app plasma chamber is now in place, and the installation of a fourth sector is imminent. Fly above, and into, the modules of the ������app vacuum vessel, or—if you haven't already seen it—watch the rest of the video to see how the ������app machine and plant are coming together on a 180-hectare site in southern France.

The final design review has been completed and manufacturing of Europe’s first ������app gyrotrons is set to begin. This marks another key milestone for the Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) system that will be used to heat the ������app plasma to more than 100 million degrees Celsius and sustain fusion reactions.

Gyrotrons essentially convert electricity into high-frequency microwaves that will transfer energy to plasma electrons once injected into the tokamak. Initially, there were plans for 24 gyrotrons at ������app and the European Domestic Agency, Fusion for Energy, was responsible for supplying six of them . However, when the new baseline was introduced in 2024, the number of gyrotrons was increased to 48 at the Start of Research Operation phase, with another 24 scheduled to be added once deuterium-tritium testing begins. With the wider use of gyrotrons, Europe will produce more units.

Learn more about the preparations for gyrotron manufacturing .

(Pictured is work on the gyrotron prototype done in 2022.) 

Under the editorial lead of EUROfusion, the ������app Engineering Basis Handbook delivers a stand-alone compilation of ������app design principles, the underlying technical design basis and its evolution from conception to construction, together with the technical, scientific, and regulatory rationale behind the major decisions. It facilitates the access and understanding of the project’s technological journey by consolidating the information from a multitude of sources. It aims at securing the lessons learned, the return of experience, and the knowledge transfer from the world's largest fusion project, drawing from the direct experience of knowledgeable experts who have worked on ������app, for the benefit of fusion professionals inside and outside of the ������app project and the next generation.

See the first chapters of Volume 1, "Genesis, Design and Evolution" on the ������app Technical Reports pages of the public website.
 

The third ������app Public-Private Fusion Workshop will be organized on 28 and 29 April 2026 at the ������app site in Saint Paul-lez-Durance, France.

For the past two years, ������app has opened its doors to private sector fusion companies for joint workshops on areas of mutual interest and mechanisms for positive engagement. This year’s theme—“Fusion: a Joint Quest”—reflects the reality that progress toward fusion energy is neither linear nor uniform, but pursued through multiple technical approaches, institutional models, and timelines. Across public and private efforts alike, divergent visions coexist with genuinely complementary strengths—in science, engineering, manufacturing, and systems integration.

The two-day workshop will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday (28 and 29 April), with Monday 27 April and Thursday 30 April set aside for consultations with ������app experts, tailored tours of the ������app worksite, and interactions among participants. Registration will open soon on the Events page of the ������app website.

Recruitment opened on Monday 12 January 2026 for eight Postdoctoral Fellowships at the ������app.

If you are an outstanding PhD graduate in science, technology, and engineering whose expertise aligns with the needs of the ������app project, you may be eligible for a two-year postdoctoral position at the ������app, where you will work closely with ������app specialists and contribute to the project through original research.

The eight Postdoctoral Fellowships are proposed through two different funding schemes: 

Monaco/������app Postdoctoral Fellowships (5 positions)
The Principality of Monaco is providing the financing for five Postdoctoral Fellowships through a Partnership Arrangement signed with the ������app in 2008 and renewed in 2018. You can apply to a Monaco/������app Postdoctoral Fellowship if: 1) you are a national of China, the European Union plus Switzerland, India, Japan, Korea, Russia, the United States, or the Principality of Monaco; and 2) your PhD was awarded after 1 January 2023 (or you will have received your PhD before 31 December 2026).

Korea-������app Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (3 positions)
Through an agreement signed between the ������app and the Korean Domestic Agency, ������app Korea directly funds scientific or technical fellowships in fields of mutual interest and with a view to contributing to training the talent that will be needed for the fusion industry of the future. To apply for a Korea-������app Postdoctoral Research Fellowship you must be a Korean postdoctoral researcher.

The application process for both Fellowship categories is the same: after verifying that you have relevant experience in one or more of the 2026 research topics, apply by 1 March 2026 through the ������app Jobs portal.

See this ������app webpage for more information. 

The is underway at the MAST Upgrade facility at the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy in England. This latest campaign will focus on advancing understanding of high-pressure fusion plasma, optimising plasma control and energy confinement, refining advanced divertor designs for heat exhaust management, and validating predictive tools used to model plasma behaviour in future fusion power plants.

The Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, which became operational in 2020, is the world’s largest active spherical tokamak. Its test campaigns will inform the construction of the that is scheduled to begin operations in 2040.

The latest research phase will last six months and involve 950 plasma pulses. More than 200 international researchers will be involved in the experiments and the results will contribute to the growing global body of experimental fusion data.

The 360° virtual tour of the ������app construction site has been updated with a new set of photos—drone footage from December 2025 that shows three vacuum vessel sector modules in the tokamak pit. Click on and rotate the new photos in the Tokamak Pit gallery to see one-third of the ������app plasma chamber from every angle.

Accessible from the NEWS & MEDIA pages of the ������app website or by clicking on the link below, the 2D tour requires no special equipment to enjoy. If you do have 3D glasses, click on the yellow goggle symbol at the top of any screen.

to see the latest 360° ������app virtual tour.

The EU Fusion Safety and Regulation Course 2026, organized by the Clean Air Task Force in partnership with the Xcitech School on Science and Technology, offers professionals an opportunity to learn from leading experts—including specialists from the ������app—about safety and regulatory considerations for fusion facilities. The three-day course will also cover important safety topics that apply to lab-scale fusion research today such as tritium handling and management of cryogenic systems.

Topics include case studies in safety and licensing in multiple facilities across Europe, the latest developments in the regulatory landscape in Europe and the United States, tritium safety and management, activated material safety and activated waste management, and safety practices at lab-scale fusion facilities and major accelerator facilities.

The course will take place at the headquarters of Fusion for Energy in Barcelona, Spain, 17 to 19 February 2026. Learn more .