A world record for nuclear fusion has been smashed after an 'artificial sun' reactor was able to maintain a plasma for more than 22 minutes.
The WEST reactor in southern France has achieved a world record in nuclear fusion by maintaining a steady plasma loop for 1,337 seconds (22 minutes and 17 seconds). This surpasses the previous record set by China's EAST reactor by 25%. The reactor, using a tokamak design, confines plasma with magnetic fields, marking a significant step toward meeting one of the 'golden conditions' for nuclear fusion: maintaining plasma for an extended period. The other conditions are high temperature and appropriate plasma density. This breakthrough advances the potential for limitless clean energy, as nuclear fusion produces less long-term radioactive waste compared to fission.
