China’s ‘artificial sun’ broke clean energy records, as scientists tout nuclear fusion as the ‘ultimate energy’ for the future of humanity.
China’s nuclear fusion reactor has made headlines this month after producing an ‘artificial sun’ that was five times hotter than the real thing.
The device broke world records after sustaining a nuclear reaction at 70 million degrees Celsius (158 million degrees Fahrenheit) for more than 17 minutes, state media Xinhua reported.
The ‘artificial sun’ is a project dubbed the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), and is operated at a research facility in China’s Heifei city in Anhui Province.
Here’s what we know so far:
It’s not actually a ‘sun’
Unlike its name suggests, or fake Twitter videos would have you believe, EAST is not a floating sphere of light that was launched into the sky.
It is in fact a donut-shaped reactor chamber where heated-up plasma is trapped with a powerful magnetic field.
The goal of this ‘sun’ is not to supply light or heat, but instead an enormous amount of clean energy that researchers hope to harvest to power cities.
EAST gets its nickname ‘artificial sun’ because this process of energy-generation, known as nuclear fusion, replicates the sun’s physics.
The process uses atomic nuclei to generate large amounts of energy into electricity, by merging hydrogen atoms to create helium.
Before EAST, France’s Tore Supra tokamak held the world record for the longest plasma duration time of any tokamak reactor at 6.5 minutes in 2003.
South Korea’s Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) reactor set a world record in 2016 by maintaining 50 million degrees Celsius (90 million degrees Fahrenheit) for 70 seconds.
EAST broke KSTAR’s record in 2021 sustaining around 119 million degrees Celsius (216 million degrees Fahrenheit) for 102 seconds.
EAST also set another record in May last year by running for 101 seconds at an unprecedented 120 million degrees Celsius (216 million degrees Fahrenheit).
In contrast, the core of the actual sun is around 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit).
It’s expanding clean energy options
Nuclear fusion produces no greenhouse gases and leaves no radioactive waste.
Scientists at the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science touted the success of EAST in expanding the country’s clean energy options.
“As opposed to fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which are in danger of being exhausted and pose a threat to the environment, raw materials required for the ‘artificial sun’ are almost unlimited on earth,” says researcher Gong Xianzu in a press release.
“Therefore, fusion energy is considered the ideal ‘ultimate energy’ for the future of humanity.”
The ‘artificial sun’ is a project dubbed the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), and is operated at a research facility in China’s Heifei city in Anhui Province. (Getty Images)
It’s costly but worth it
EAST is estimated to cost China more than $1 trillion by the experiment’s end in June.
Alongside China, 35 countries are participating in the project including the entire European Union, the United Kingdom, India and the United States.
ITER contains the world’s most powerful magnet, able to produce a magnetic field 280,000 times stronger than Earth’s own field, according to Live Science.
The global fusion reactor is expected to run in 2025.
However, China isn’t stopping at EAST, the country is planning to complete a new Tokamak fusion device by the early 2030s.
The Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, will attend the 15th session of the Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which begins tomorrow, as President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s Special Envoy.
The Minister of Islamic Affairs is scheduled to address the 15th session of the Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as the President’s Special Envoy, which begins tomorrow, at Banjul, The Gambia. His address will be broadcast on television.
The Islamic Summit of the OIC, held once every three years, brings the leaders of the Islamic nations together to deliberate, take policy decisions, and provide guidance on issues pertaining to the Ummah as outlined in the OIC Charter.
The 15th Session of the Islamic Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will take place in Banjul, The Gambia, from May 4–5, 2024, under the theme “Enhancing Unity and Solidarity through Dialogue for Sustainable Development.”
Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has emphasised President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration’s steadfast commitment to supporting journalists, addressing their needs and aspirations.
In an interview with PSM news on its 7th anniversary and in commemoration of World Press Freedom Day, Vice President Hussain Mohamed highlighted the administration’s awareness of the challenges faced by journalists, noting President Muizzu’s proactive engagement with them upon assuming office.
Furthermore, Vice President stressed the importance of public trust in the current administration’s ability to effectively address journalists’ concerns, particularly on World Press Freedom Day. He further reiterated that while journalism may not be explicitly delineated in the constitution, it serves as the country’s “fourth power” and urged responsible reporting avoiding misleading information, anticipating positive societal changes with these efforts.
In support of journalist’s financial independence, Vice President confirmed the formulation of a policy allocating a specific percentage of the state budget to them and the resolution of land plots for establishing a special media village.
Additionally, Vice President met with PSM news employees.
World Press Freedom Index is an annual ranking of 180 nations – compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) – based on the level of freedom enjoyed by journalists and media personnel in those nations.
Maldives, which ranked 100 in the WPFD last year with a score of 56.93, has dropped down 106th, scoring 52.36. This marks a slip from the classification of nations where its ‘Problematic’ to practice journalism to nations where its ‘Difficult’ to practice journalism.
RSF has attributed the ratification of the Evidence Bill into law including the provision which allows courts to compel journalists to disclose their sources in some circumstances as the main reason for the drop in the rank.
RSF utilizes five indicators in compiling the WPFI. Maldives have been scored as follows in the respective fields:
Political indicator: 109th place with 43.48. This accounts to a drop of 12 ranks as Maldives placed 97th with 53.75 last year.
Economic indicator: 133rd place with 36.04. This accounts to an increase of 28 ranks as Maldives placed 161st last year with 32.84. It is the only indicator in which Maldives improved its score.
Legislative indicator: 111th place with 54.42. This accounts to a drop of 13 ranks as Maldives placed 98th last year with 59.01.
Social indicator: 131st with place with 48,10. This accounts to a drop of 7 ranks as Maldives placed 124th last year with 55.68.
Security indicator: 80th place with 79.79. This accounts to a drop of 23 ranks as Maldives placed 57th last year with 82.48.
Notably, Maldives placed 87th in the WPFD in 2022; classified as a nation where it is “Satisfactory” to practice journalism.