China's artificial sun reached a new record with a temperature of 70 million degrees Celsius in a duration of 1,056 seconds. Previously they had set a world record by reaching a plasma temperature of 120 million degrees Celsius for 101 seconds on May 28, 2021. This technology from Experimental Advance Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) is the second major global science project after the ISS. This artificial sun aims to create sun-like nuclear fusion to provide a steady stream of clean energy. The researchers announced the news last week, and said that EAST will pass testing by the Institute of Plasma Physics under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP).
"This time, the plasma operation lasted 1,056 seconds at temperatures close to 70 million degrees Celsius, putting this scientific and experimental solid into the fusion reactor," said Gong Xianzu, researcher at the Institute of Plasma Physics,
EAST is a nuclear fusion reactor that is said to be a source of energy in the future. This artificial sun utilizes a magnetic field to produce hot plasma from nuclear fusion. According to China National Nuclear Corp., an artificial sun that uses hydrogen and deuterium gas as fuel will create nuclear fusion like the sun and produce energy.
In contrast to fossil fuels including coal, oil, and natural gas which are in danger of being exhausted and polluting the environment, the raw materials needed for this artificial sun, or China's artificial sun, are infinite. Therefore, fusion energy is considered as the ideal 'ultimate energy' in the future. ASIPP Director Song Yuntao said his institute has collaborated with international scientific researchers to realize an artificial sun using this massive device.
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