South Koreas artificial sun sets new record, withstands 100 million degrees Celsius and maintains for nearly 50 seconds

According to Science Alert, South Korea's KSTAR fusion reactor can withstand temperatures of up to 100 million degrees Celsius and maintain it for nearly 50 seconds. The Korean 'artificial sun' sets a new record, and is a huge leap from the reactor's achievement of approximately 20 seconds in 2021.

South Korea's 'artificial sun' sets new record, withstands 100 million degrees Celsius and maintains for nearly 50 seconds

At 100 million degrees Celsius, the heavy hydrogen isotopes in the plasma are forced to fuse together, releasing energy similar to the Sun's core. The reactor can generate clean, virtually limitless energy if maintained in this state.

However, for nuclear fusion reactions in general, the major challenge is to prevent plasma escape by using magnetic fields.

To overcome the problem, KSTAR uses a new diverter made of tungsten, a material that has a very high melting point, but does not absorb plasma.

The new diverters were completed in 2023. The official use of the new diverters extended the reactor's operating time by 48 seconds.

South Korea's 'artificial sun' sets new record, withstands 100 million degrees Celsius and maintains for nearly 50 seconds
KSTAR's new tungsten diverter. (Photo: KFE).

Researchers from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory also found a way to stabilize weaknesses at the edge of the plasma caused by tiny defects in the magnetic coils, allowing the reactor to achieve a second milestone: containing plasma in high isolation mode — or “H mode” — for 102 seconds. This had been limited to just a few seconds in previous attempts.

According to researchers, South Korea's 'artificial sun' promises to bring more potential for the production of clean energy sources of the future.

The goal of the Korean researchers is to achieve 300 seconds of plasma operation with temperatures above 100 million degrees Celsius by the end of 2026. However, this is still a few minutes shorter than China's Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak ( EAST ) reactor, which can generate and maintain plasma for nearly 7 minutes, as of April 2023.

Sign up and earn $1000 a day ⋙

Leave a Comment

Why do paper cuts hurt more than knife cuts?

Why do paper cuts hurt more than knife cuts?

If you accidentally cut your hand with paper, even if the scratch is small, it will cause terrible pain and take a long time to heal.

Which snake has the fastest speed on the planet?

Which snake has the fastest speed on the planet?

Snakes always amaze people with their extraordinary speed.

Top 4 strange animals that turn white in winter

Top 4 strange animals that turn white in winter

Weasels, arctic foxes… are animals that have the ability to change the color of their fur in winter, showing the magic of nature.

How to Add AI Objects in Photos on Microsoft Paint

How to Add AI Objects in Photos on Microsoft Paint

On Windows 11, the Microsoft Paint app lets you create AI objects in your photos to make them more interesting through the Generative Fill tool.

Full Fisch Roblox giftcode latest 04/25/2025 and how to redeem code

Full Fisch Roblox giftcode latest 04/25/2025 and how to redeem code

Like many other Roblox games, you will also have many attractive rewards by redeeming Fisch Roblox codes.

Code I am the newest little fairy

Code I am the newest little fairy

Code Ta is a little fairy that supports players when they start as a newbie. Players will receive many rewards such as gold, number of peaks opened and many other valuable rewards.

Good quotes about women, good quotes about modern, strong women

Good quotes about women, good quotes about modern, strong women

There are many quotes about women on the Internet. This article will summarize for you good quotes and proverbs about women.

How to present strengths and weaknesses in an interview

How to present strengths and weaknesses in an interview

Preparing for an interview by honestly assessing your skills is essential. This article will guide you on how to present your strengths and weaknesses to get good results when applying for a job.

Meta Launches Llama 4: The Ultimate Multi-modal LLM

Meta Launches Llama 4: The Ultimate Multi-modal LLM

This series includes three versions: Llama 4 Scout, Llama 4 Maverick and Llama 4 Behemoth.

Nvidia Officially Open Sources PhysX and Flow

Nvidia Officially Open Sources PhysX and Flow

In June 2024, Nvidia announced the full open source GPU code for its flagship physics simulation engine, PhysX SDK, including previously unreleased GPU simulation cores. The move is expected to spur innovation in GPU-accelerated computing.

Things that can make you look older than your actual age

Things that can make you look older than your actual age

Aging is inevitable, but there are certain habits that can speed up the process without you even realizing it.

Signs she is ready for him to hold her hand

Signs she is ready for him to hold her hand

Holding hands is the best way to show that you like her. This article will summarize for you the signs that your girlfriend is ready for you to hold her hand.

South Korea develops battery technology that charges in seconds

South Korea develops battery technology that charges in seconds

A new sodium-ion battery developed by researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) can be fully charged in just a few seconds, opening up new hope for a breakthrough in battery charging technology.

Chinas space station attacked by space junk

Chinas space station attacked by space junk

A piece of space debris accidentally entered and severed the electrical cable connecting the core module's solar panels.

Anonymous structures and fields in Golang

Anonymous structures and fields in Golang

Anonymous structs in Golang are temporary structures with no names used for one-time purposes, while anonymous fields allow embedding of unnamed fields.