The Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion
Chinese scientists achieved a major milestone by maintaining plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius for 1,066 seconds in the EAST reactor (Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak)
This follows previous records set by EAST, including sustaining plasma at 50 million degrees Celsius for over 100 seconds (2017) and 403 seconds in 2023.
The goal of nuclear fusion is to produce clean energy without harmful radioactive waste, unlike nuclear fission.
Challenges in Achieving Fusion
Fusion reactions require extremely high temperatures (100 million degrees Celsius) to overcome the repulsion between atomic nuclei.
Fusion of deuterium and tritium produces significant energy but tritium is scarce and difficult to produce.
Different reactor designs, like tokamaks, aim to contain this high-temperature plasma using strong magnetic fields.
Alternative Fusion Approaches
Beyond tokamaks, researchers are exploring alternatives like stellarators, which have a more complex magnetic field design.
Laser-driven fusion, such as the LIFE and National Ignition Facility (NIF) projects, aims to achieve fusion by compressing deuterium and tritium pellets with high-powered lasers.
While NIF reached "ignition" in 2022, achieving breakeven fusion energy, EAST and tokamaks are continuing to make steady progress.
Future of Nuclear Fusion
Fusion energy remains a long-term goal, with projects like ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) aiming for significant progress by 2033.
The need for clean energy makes fusion a promising avenue, but the technology and investment required to reach sustainable, usable fusion energy remain challenging.
The eventual winner of fusion technology (magnetic, inertial, or others) is yet to be determined.
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