this post was submitted on 10 Jan 2026
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China’s ‘artificial sun’ breaks nuclear fusion limit thought to be impossible (www.the-independent.com)
submitted 1 day ago by commander@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 2 points 37 minutes ago

In sum, these guys at EAST got the Greenwald limit elevated in their tokamak, which indirectly influences the Lawson criterion: nTTau, density * time at said density * plasma energy released. Lawson is the master finish line for measuring whether a fusion system can actually make more power than it consumes.

To date, when you cross the Greenwald limit, the man/woman in the operators seat should expect the plasma inside the device to become uncontrollable, hurting the reactor by touching the walls or instruments inside, a so-called "disruption". Only a few topologies like the stellerator can exceed the limit, and so far, only by 5x.

But here we have a way to exceed the limit in the much more researched tokamak. This research has positive impact for all but the weirdest/niche fusion devices.

[–] green_red_black@slrpnk.net 5 points 3 hours ago

So I take it Doctor Octavos is a Red LoL

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 6 points 4 hours ago (2 children)

Only 75 more years to go!

[–] RubberElectrons@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 30 minutes ago)

Unlike this captain positivity's social life, fusion is making some sizable strides forward in short order.

I design diagnostics going into systems like these, there's a lot of positive news coming our way.

Helion's gonna have some problems though.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Practical power production through nuclear fusion still requires significant developments for it to be realised at scale, though several startups are already planning to deliver it within the next few years.

US-based Helion Energy secured the world’s first purchase agreement for nuclear fusion energy in 2023, promising to provide 50MW of fusion power to Microsoft by 2028.

I mean, time will tell. But that seems a bit sooner than 2100.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 7 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Is it only me that had the C&C Generals Nuke Cannon tagline going off in their heads saying BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN in a deliberate voice and a heavy Chinese accent?

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Hey, is that game any good? I only every did Tiberian Sun and RA2, is it worth getting into?

[–] goodwipe@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

"I am big!"

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[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 11 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (4 children)

This diagram shows the LCOE (levelized cost of electricity) for various technologies - i.e. how much does one kWh of electricity cost if you divide the total number of generated kWh by the total cost of the power plant.

"utility-scale solar" means large-scale flat-area solar parks

But will Fusion ever be cheaper than solar?

I doubt it; It's not only about technology costs but also about advantages like decentralization. If you can generate your own electricity in your own back-yard, you're much more independent than if you're dependent on large-scale fusion power. Because that will necessarily be very large-scale and centralized because nobody can set up a fusion reactor in their own back yard.

[–] BurnoutDV@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago

but isnt it being centralized being the point? I have the (probably not so rare) tin foil theory that big energy spends a lot of money to dampen solar and other decentralized power generation. As a politician you have to ask yourself, do I get nice packages from big energy for not looking so closely when another forest is turned into a hole or do I hope that 20000 random people try to bribe me for something. In terms of money gain for a few big power plant is double plus good. Boring solar might be better for all of us, the rest, but not for the guys calling the shots. This all assumes of course that there is no empathy at all in the local legislation

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

But will Fusion ever be cheaper than solar?

Eventually. But, much like traditional fission power, you'll need a very large and complex piece of infrastructure to deliver it.

You won't be able to put a fusion plant in your basement like you can put solar on your roof.

[–] HugeNerd@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 hour ago

There are fusion reactors that fit between your fingers.

[–] HK65@sopuli.xyz 11 points 5 hours ago (2 children)

Solar is technically fusion though

[–] gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Technically, there's only two sources of energy in the universe: nuclear energy and the expansion of the cosmos.

Like, solar is fusion, ofc, the light coming from the sun. So is wind and water and bioenergy (indirectly). Geothermal is fission (heat comes from radioactive decay inside Earth).

But then there's another source of energy that nobody ever talks about: tidal power It works by converting the rise and fall of water with the tides into electrical energy. This energy ultimately comes from the moon orbiting around Earth, more precisely, its mechanical energy: The fact that the moon is distant from Earth is only because the universe expanded after the big bang. Had it not done this, the moon and earth would be located at the same location, and there would be no "orbiting" to extract energy out of :P

I just made a post about this here

[–] supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz 20 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Solar is Fusion as a Service or FaaS technology.

[–] mumblerfish@lemmy.world 5 points 4 hours ago

The sun is in the cloud(s)?

[–] Soggy@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago

Solar power is not a feasible solution in all parts of the world, though, and large-scale storage is still very much an issue.

[–] AnimalsDream@slrpnk.net 57 points 10 hours ago

*Slaps on top of fusion reactor*

"You can boil so much water with this."

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