China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor, known as the 'Artificial Sun,' achieved a new world record by maintaining a stable, highly confined plasma flow for 1,066 seconds on January 20,surpassing its previous record of 403 seconds established in 2023. The Hefei Institute of Plasma Physics announced on January 22 that the milestone marks a step toward making fusion reactors a reality, according to El Comercio.
The new record exceeds the previous duration by more than three times, representing a major leap in fusion research. The Chinese state news agency Xinhua described the accomplishment as "a key step towards the development of a fusion reactor," as reported by SIC Notícias.
"A fusion device must achieve steady operation with high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable self-sustaining plasma circulation, which is critical for the continuous energy production of future fusion units," said Song Yuntao, director of the Institute of Plasma Physics, according to People's Daily.
Established in 2006, EAST serves as an open test platform where Chinese and international scientists can conduct fusion-related experiments and research, supporting the development of other reactors.
"We hope to expand international collaboration via EAST and bring fusion energy into practical use for humanity," said Song.
To achieve viable nuclear fusion on Earth, reactors must stably maintain extremely high temperatures (over 100 million degrees Celsius) under plasma conditions, which is essential for generating electricity. Scientists have been working on nuclear fusion technology for more than 70 years, aiming to replicate the thermonuclear processes occurring in the Sun's interior under laboratory conditions.
Nuclear fusion is the principle by which the sun emits light and heat, involving the combination of lighter atomic nuclei into heavier ones, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the process. Energy production through nuclear fusion is often referred to as the "holy grail" in the field of energy production.
While nuclear fusion is often referred to as "dream energy," there is still a long way to go before it can be commercialized as a practical solution to the global energy crisis. Researchers hope that we will have fusion energy within a few decades.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq