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

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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.

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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