The following submission statement was provided by /u/FarmhouseFan:

I wanted to post this here because there seems to have been confusion about whether or not this was actually a breakthrough and what it means short and long term for the work scientists and engineers are doing to bring us nearly unlimited clean energy. I hope this clears up a few things for some (including myself.)

Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/zmk8gt/nuclear_fusion_breakthrough_a_physicist_answers/j0beou7/