China breaks record with nuclear test that burned 6 times hotter than the Sun

China has conducted a nuclear fusion test that has broken its previous record, inching humanity one step closer to achieving unlimited renewable energy.

China breaks record with nuclear test that burned 6 times hotter than the Sun
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Tech and Science Editor
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TL;DR: China's recent nuclear fusion test with the EAST reactor achieved temperatures six times hotter than the Sun's surface, maintaining plasma for 403 seconds. This experiment aims to create an "artificial Sun" for limitless energy. Progress includes sustaining 70 million degrees Celsius for 1,056 seconds and striving for self-sustaining reactions.

Pushing the limits of what is possible is one of the fundamental principles of science, and China has taken yet another step toward the unknown with its recent nuclear fusion test that generated temperatures six times hotter than the surface of the Sun.

China breaks record with nuclear test that burned 6 times hotter than the Sun 894489

The news comes from Chinese state media and states researchers operating the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) nuclear fusion reactor conducted a test on January 20 that resulted in a loop of plasma being able to maintain adequate temperatures for 403 seconds. While that might not sound very long, these researchers are attempting to create an "artificial Sun," which, if they succeed, will theoretically unlock a limitless energy supply.

However, nuclear fusion is incredibly difficult, or at least maintaining the temperatures and the pressure needed to sustain the reaction for long periods of time. But progress is being made. In January 2022, researchers at EAST sustained a temperature of 70 million degrees Celsius (126 million degrees Fahrenheit), and maintained it for 1,056 seconds. The end goal of this experimentation is to create a nuclear fusion reaction that is strong enough that it can self-sustain itself, much like the Sun. To reach this, researchers must create a nuclear fusion reaction strong enough that it releases more energy than what was required to get it started.

"A fusion device must achieve stable operation at high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable the self-sustaining circulation of plasma, which is critical for the continuous power generation of future fusion plants," Song Yuntao, director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, responsible for the fusion project at the Chinese Academy of Sciences

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Jak joined the TweakTown team in 2017 and has since reviewed 100s of new tech products and kept us informed daily on the latest science, space, and artificial intelligence news. Jak's love for science, space, and technology, and, more specifically, PC gaming, began at 10 years old. It was the day his dad showed him how to play Age of Empires on an old Compaq PC. Ever since that day, Jak fell in love with games and the progression of the technology industry in all its forms.

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