178
submitted 3 days ago by OutForARip@lemmy.ca to c/world@quokk.au

France has upped the ante in the quest for fusion power by maintaining a plasma reaction for over 22 minutes – a new record. The milestone was reached on February 12 at the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) WEST Tokamak reactor.

top 22 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] cogitase@lemmy.dbzer0.com 45 points 3 days ago

In the latest test, the WEST Tokamak held its reaction for 1,337 seconds.

They could have gone a few seconds longer but decided to stop it there.

[-] SnotFlickerman 15 points 3 days ago

Them 1337 ~~gamers~~ scientists.

[-] SnotFlickerman 30 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

France really ~~becoming~~ returning to it's position as an international leader in so many different ways.

[-] NOT_RICK@lemmy.world 16 points 3 days ago

Has been for centuries. There’s dozens upon dozens of “treaties of Paris”

[-] SnotFlickerman 6 points 3 days ago

True, I guess I just meant in the face of fading US post-WWII dominance.

[-] electricyarn@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

Going for the cultural victory late in the game.

[-] FundMECFSResearch 1 points 2 days ago

Meanwhile Russia going for that lategame domination victory after having a tough dark age where a bunch of cities declared independence.

[-] Skua@kbin.earth 20 points 3 days ago

It amuses me that the two longest-running tokamaks are now EAST in China and WEST in Europe

[-] Bosht@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago

This is actually pretty huge right? I know for the longest time there was always the joke of '5 more years and we will have fusion' but this is measurable progress right?

[-] MashedHobbits@lemy.lol 3 points 3 days ago

Yeah the fusion train has been picking up speed. Might be 2.5 years until Fusion now.

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 17 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Holy fuck that's pretty fucking good.

According to CEA, the next step will be to create even longer reactions that could amount to a combined time of several hours, with the temperature growing increasingly hotter.

[-] YamahaRevstar@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago

Is it too hot to hold though? I am interested in the power of the sun in the palm of my hand.

[-] CarbonBasedNPU@lemm.ee 16 points 3 days ago

is your hand a magnetic containment field per chance?

[-] YamahaRevstar@lemmy.world 3 points 3 days ago

I'll check and get back with you.

[-] LMurch@thelemmy.club 6 points 3 days ago

It's been two hours. He ded.

[-] Pringles@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

Rip, YamahaRevStar

[-] Frozengyro@lemmy.world 7 points 3 days ago

You can do it once.

[-] subignition@fedia.io 2 points 3 days ago
[-] ryedaft@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 days ago

Not me being baffled by "The tricky bit isn't to get atoms to fuse. That's a fairly simple lab bench experiment." before remembering that we did that in high school.

[-] HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 days ago

When will they be able to start ITER though?

[-] Skua@kbin.earth 5 points 3 days ago

Even assuming no delays, that's about ten years off.

[-] HenriVolney@sh.itjust.works 4 points 3 days ago

France baise ouais!

this post was submitted on 19 Feb 2025
178 points (100.0% liked)

World News

654 readers
353 users here now

Rules:

  1. Be a decent person
  2. No spam
  3. Add the byline, or write a line or two in the body about the article.

Other communities of interest:

founded 4 months ago
MODERATORS