China’s ‘Artificial Sun’ Sets World Record, Sustains Fusion Plasma for Over 1,000 Seconds

Chinese scientists have achieved a major milestone in the global effort to develop clean and virtually limitless energy through nuclear fusion. A research team led by Professor Ping Zhu and Associate Professor Ning Yan set a new world record using the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, known as EAST or China’s “artificial Sun,” marking a significant step forward in fusion technology.

According to a study published in the journal Science, the EAST reactor successfully maintained ultra-high-temperature plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius for 1,066 seconds. This achievement represents the longest sustained operation of such extreme conditions to date and highlights China’s growing leadership in fusion research.

Nuclear fusion works by replicating the process that powers the Sun, where hydrogen isotopes fuse under intense heat and pressure to release enormous amounts of energy. While fusion offers the promise of clean energy with minimal waste and no carbon emissions, one of the biggest challenges has been keeping the superheated plasma stable inside a doughnut-shaped reactor without damaging the surrounding structure.

The breakthrough came after researchers managed to achieve a stable “ELM-free regime.” By precisely controlling how the plasma interacts with the reactor’s inner walls, the team eliminated edge-localized modes, a form of turbulence that typically disrupts plasma stability and limits operating time. Removing this instability allowed the reactor to run far longer than previously possible.

Reported by Xinhua News Agency, the achievement indicates meaningful progress toward the long-term goal of harnessing fusion energy on Earth. Although scientists have not yet developed a fusion reactor that produces more energy than it consumes, this success demonstrates that sustained and stable fusion reactions are becoming more achievable.

Experts believe advances like this could eventually help address global energy shortages, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and support climate goals by providing a safe, clean, and abundant energy source. The EAST experiment reinforces optimism that nuclear fusion, once considered a distant dream, is steadily moving closer to practical reality.