The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), famously dubbed China’s “artificial sun,” has achieved a groundbreaking milestone in nuclear fusion by sustaining a temperature of 100 million degrees Celsius for an unprecedented 17 minutes. This marks a significant leap towards the long-sought goal of limitless and clean energy.
Nuclear fusion, often described as the “holy grail of clean energy,” mimics the energy production process occurring in the core of the sun. By creating and maintaining plasma—the fourth state of matter—EAST generates vast amounts of energy without the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels or the hazardous waste associated with nuclear fission.
In this latest test, the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported that EAST more than doubled its previous runtime record, extending from 403 seconds to 1,066 seconds. Researchers hailed the achievement as a critical step forward in the development of a functional nuclear fusion reactor, providing vital data for future advancements in clean energy technology.
This milestone brings the vision of safe, sustainable, and nearly limitless energy closer to reality, reinforcing nuclear fusion’s potential to transform global energy systems.