“KSTAR’s Big Win: Keeping Super-Hot Stuff for 20 Seconds!”
Imagine if we could make energy the way the sun does. Well, scientists in South Korea just did something amazing! They made their ‘artificial sun,’ called KSTAR, keep super-hot stuff, known as plasma, for a whopping 20 seconds. This is a big deal for a special kind of energy called nuclear fusion.
Meet KSTAR: The Cool Science Machine:
KSTAR lives at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) and does cool science stuff. It uses super-strong magnets to control plasma, which is vital for making nuclear fusion happen. Working with friends from Seoul National University and Columbia University, KSTAR broke a record during the 2020 KSTAR Plasma Campaign.
Super Tech Talk:
KSTAR uses magnets that are super special—fully superconducting! Think of them as magical magnets that help keep things in check. The KSTAR magnet team includes different types of these magical magnets, making it a unique and powerful machine.
Record-Breaking Progress:
KSTAR has been getting better and better. In 2018, it hit 100 million degrees Celsius for a quick 1.5 seconds. By 2019, it held on for 8 seconds. Now, in 2020, it pulled off an incredible 20 seconds! It beat China’s record, which was 101.2 seconds.
What Experts Say:
Scientists at KSTAR are super happy about this achievement. Director Si-Woo Yoon says it’s a big step for making fusion energy, like a turning point in a race. Professor Yong-Su Na from Seoul National University says KSTAR getting past some tricky things brings us closer to making fusion energy real.
What’s Next:
The KSTAR team isn’t stopping here. They want to try out new things with different fuels and aim to keep the plasma hot for a super long 300 seconds by 2025.
Closing Thoughts:
As KSTAR shines in the science world, this achievement is like opening a door to cleaner and cooler energy. KSTAR is leading the way, and it won’t be long before we see even more exciting things in the world of nuclear fusion!
For more details, you can check out the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research, or ITER.