🌞 South Korean ‘artificial sun’ reaches 7 times the Sun’s core temperature

The Korea Institute of Fusion Energy’s (KFE) Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research (KSTAR) fusion reactor has reached temperatures seven times that of the Sun’s core in a world’s first setting a new record for the fusion reactor project.

The researchers behind the reactor report, managed to maintain temperatures of 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 million degrees Celsius) for 48 seconds. For more on this story, head over to today’s Must Read.

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MUST READ

🌞 South Korean ‘artificial sun’ reaches 7 times the Sun’s core temperature

The KFE achieved a significant milestone with its KSTAR fusion reactor, reaching temperatures seven times hotter than the Sun's core. Conducted between December 2023 and February 2024, this breakthrough marks a new record for the fusion reactor project.

Maintaining temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit) for 48 seconds, KSTAR's researchers aim to advance fusion energy research, potentially unlocking a clean and abundant source of energy through controlled nuclear fusion reactions within the tokamak device.

🤖 Caltech trick triggers magnetic avalanche using quantum effects, a first

The research conducted by a team from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) has unveiled the generation of Barkhausen noise through quantum mechanical phenomena, a departure from traditional methods.

This groundbreaking discovery, marking the first experimental detection of quantum Barkhausen noise, was achieved during testing conducted between December 2023 and February 2024. Led by Christopher Simon, a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech, the team managed to sustain temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius for 48 seconds within the KSTAR fusion reactor.

This work signifies a significant advancement in basic physics and holds potential implications for the development of quantum sensors and electrical devices.

🎆 Oppenheimer: Christopher Nolan’s movie finally opens in Japan after delays

The Japanese premiere of the Academy Award-winning film Oppenheimer took place at the Hatchoza Cinema in Hiroshima, less than a kilometer from the epicenter of the first atomic bombing in history, marking a significant moment for Japan as emotions still run deep over the devastation of the 1945 bombings.

Despite the movie's global release on July 21, 2023, its debut in Japan was delayed due to controversies surrounding marketing, including backlash over "Barbenheimer" memes perceived as trivializing the tragedy. Independent Japanese film distributor Bitters End stepped in after Toho-Towa chose not to release it.

Following its release, Oppenheimer received a range of reactions from audiences and survivors. While many praised its portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, some criticized its failure to adequately depict the human suffering inflicted on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

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