Scientists in China have achieved a major leap in nuclear fusion research — taking one step closer to nearly limitless, clean energy. The device known as the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), often dubbed China’s “artificial sun”, sustained high-performance plasma for 1,066 seconds (about 17 minutes and 46 seconds). This sets a new world record, far exceeding the previous record of 403 seconds.
The breakthrough is being hailed as a critical milestone on the path toward practical fusion power — a form of energy that mimics the way the Sun generates power, and promises vast amounts of clean electricity with minimal carbon footprint.
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What exactly happened?
The EAST tokamak, operated by the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) in Hefei, China, achieved a steady-state high-confinement plasma operation lasting 1,066 seconds.
This operation significantly improves on its own earlier best of 403 seconds, set in 2023.
In practical terms, sustaining such a state means the device was able to keep extremely hot, charged particles (plasma) confined and stable — a key requirement for any reactor that wishes to generate power continuously.
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Why does it matter?
Here are several reasons why this is a big deal:
Towards continuous fusion: A major challenge in fusion energy is keeping plasma stable long enough to extract useful energy. Operations of thousands of seconds (or more) are required for a functional power plant. EAST surpassing 1,000 seconds shows serious progress.
Clean, abundant fuel: Fusion uses isotopes of hydrogen (for example, deuterium and tritium) which are widely available, and the reaction produces helium and minimal long-lived radioactive waste. This contrasts with both fossil fuels (which emit CO₂) and traditional nuclear fission (which produces heavy radioactive waste).
Global energy implications: If scientists can scale fusion to a commercial level, the impact would be transformative: power grids could switch from fossil fuels, greenhouse gas emissions could drop, and energy access could expand across the world.
Technological prestige: For China, this achievement positions it strongly in the international race for fusion, supporting its broader ambitions in clean energy research and technology.
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How did they do it?
Some of the key technical advances behind the success:
EAST uses superconducting magnets for both the toroidal and poloidal fields, allowing continuous operation and efficient magnetic confinement of plasma.
The heating system was significantly upgraded: earlier operations used a heating power equivalent to about 70,000 household microwave ovens; recent upgrades nearly doubled that capacity.
The device operates in what is known as “H-mode” (high-confinement mode), which is better at trapping heat and charged particles, and thus crucial for longer durations.
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What still needs to be done?
While this is a major milestone, there are still many steps before fusion becomes a commercial reality:
Net energy gain: It’s one thing to sustain plasma, another to produce more energy than the reactor consumes. Scientists still need to reach and exceed this energy break-even point.
Longer duration & stability: Even 1,000+ seconds is a great achievement, but reactors will need many hours or even continuous operations for practical power generation.
Materials & engineering: The reactor walls and components must handle extreme conditions (temperatures, radiation, electromagnetic forces) over time.
Cost & infrastructure: Building and maintaining fusion reactors at scale will require large investments, robust supply chains, and operational reliability.
Regulatory and safety frameworks: Even though fusion is safer than fission, governance, licensing and public acceptance are still part of the picture.
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Conclusion
The new world record set by China’s “artificial sun” (EAST) is a clear sign we’re getting closer to unlocking fusion’s promise of clean, abundant energy. Sustaining high-confinement plasma for over 17 minutes is no small feat — it signals that the dream of replicating the Sun’s power on Earth is gradually shifting from science-fiction toward science-fact.
However, as with any breakthrough, the road ahead remains long. Commercial fusion plants will take years (perhaps decades) of further development, testing, and scaling to become part of everyday energy systems. Yet for the first time in a long time, a door toward near-limitless clean power is opening wider.
For readers concerned about energy security, climate change, or the future of technology, this is one of the most promising developments in years.
Source:
– “Chinese ‘artificial sun’ sets a record towards fusion power generation” (Phys.org)
– “China’s nuclear fusion scientists set record span for plasma” (SCMP)
– “China’s ‘artificial sun’ shatters nuclear fusion record by generating steady loop of plasma for 1,000 seconds” (LiveScience)
– “China’s ‘Artificial Sun’ achieves fusion milestone: 1,066-second plasma” (Innovation News Network)
– “’Artificial Sun’ Blazes Past 1,000 Seconds in New Fusion Record” (ScienceAlert)