Home/Blog/China's 'Artificial Sun' is Hot Enough for Nuclear Fission
China's 'Artificial Sun' is Hot Enough for Nuclear Fission
China's "artificial sun" just hit a whopping temperature milestone of 180 million degrees Fahrenheit. In comparison, the core of the sun only reaches around 27 million degrees Fahrenheit
Curiosmos Send an email November 15, 2018Last Updated: May 7, 2019
Chinese scientists have reached an important milestone in their quest to harness energy from nuclear fusion, a process that is present naturally in the sun.
According to reports, researchers from China's Hefei Institutes of Physical Science announced that its Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) reactor — an "artificial sun" designed to replicate the process our natural Sun uses to generate energy — just hit a whopping temperature milestone: 100 million degrees Celsius (180 million degrees Fahrenheit).
That's really hot!
In comparison, the core of the sun only reaches around 27 million degrees Fahrenheit, which means that the EAST reactor was, for a short period of time, about sx times hotter than the core of the sun.
China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, or 'artificial Sun' as it is better known. Image Credit: HIPS/EAST TEAM
Scientists working on the EAST reactor have been working on the experiment to achieve nuclear fusion since 2006.
Our sun produces enormous amounts of energy through nuclear fusion–which occurs when two hydrogen nuclei combine. This way, our sun generates heat.
If we were to find a way to harness this, we would have before us a nearly limitless source of clear energy.
And China's EAST reactor could be the way to do it.
Using magnetic fields, scientists control plasma so that stable nuclear fission can take place.
And it's that plasma inside the EAST reactor that was heated to such mind-bending temperatures.
The milestone achieved by EAST is not only amazing because of the incredible temperature that was achieved, but it also happens to be the minimum temperature scientists say is needed in order to produce a self-sustaining nuclear fusion reaction on Earth.
Now that scientists have met the minimum temperature that is needed for the artificial sun to heat the plasma, they can focus on the next steps towards their path to near-limitless energy and stable nuclear fusion.
Curiosmos
Created with love for the passionately Curious. Curiosmos.com was created with two words in mind: Curious and Cosmos. See what we did there? Curious: /ˈkjʊərɪəs/ eager to know or learn something. Something strange; unusual. Cosmos /ˈkɒzmɒs/ the universe seen as a well-ordered whole. A system of thought. You could say that Curiosmos is the Cosmos for the curious reader.
Millions of Years Ago, Ancient Humans Undertook Technological Innovations in the Face of Climate Change
12,000-Year-Old Elongated Skulls Discovered in Asia Stun Experts
China Launches Mission to Mars Including a Rover and Lander
The Mystery of The Terracotta Army's 'Strangely' Preserved Weapons Solved
Did This Astrophotographer Snap Images of a Massive UFO Over Argentina?
Prophecies of the Past: Did Nostradamus Foresee the Coronavirus in 2020?
Chinese Rover Released on the 'Far Side of the Moon', Snaps Never-Before-Seen Images
This is the 'Stairway to Heaven' and it has 999 Steps
10 Things You Didn't Know About the Underground City Of Dixia Cheng
Experts Find Incredible Similarities between Ancient Chinese and Maya Civilizations
China's Mission on the Far Side of the Moon Continues Making History
A Mysterious X-Shaped Ancient Tomb has been Excavated in China
NASA has Finally Announced its Plan to Return to the Moon
Roman Treasure Discovered By Chance; Hundreds of Ancient Gold Coins Hidden for Centuries
5 Baffling Misconceptions About Ancient Egyptian Pyramids
Here's How Trees Can Help Scientists Search For Multicellular Alien Life on Exoplanets
10 Things You Didn't Know About the Ancient Chinese Pyramids
10 Things You Probably didn't know About Peru's Ancient Gate of the Gods
Archaeologists Find Location of Elusive Ancient Spanish Fort in Florida
10,000-Year-Old Mask Found in Florida Was Made out of Rare 'Extraterrestrial' Metals
2,500 Years Ago Herodotus Wrote About a Mystery Ship; Now, Experts Have Found It
21 Perplexing Aerial Images of Ancient American Pyramids You Should See