China's 'Artificial Sun' Sets Record With 17-Minute Plasma Operation

The Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak maintained plasma six times hotter than the sun for 1,066 seconds, marking a major step toward clean fusion energy.

China's EAST fusion reactor achieved a world record by sustaining high-confinement plasma for 1,066 seconds, nearly tripling its previous record of 403 seconds set in 2023.
The plasma temperature exceeded 100 million degrees Celsius, six times hotter than the sun's core, demonstrating the reactor's advanced capabilities.
This milestone is seen as a critical step toward realizing self-sustaining nuclear fusion, which could provide limitless, clean energy without greenhouse gas emissions or hazardous waste.
Upgrades to the EAST reactor, including doubling the heating system's power output, enabled this breakthrough while maintaining stability and efficiency.
The achievement contributes valuable insights to international fusion projects like ITER, as global efforts continue to develop practical fusion-based energy solutions.