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☢️ UK's 'JET' nuclear fusion device achieves new energy output record

Plus: Gel and lithium-ion tech could enable a 1000-mile EV range on one charge

In a huge milestone, the Joint European Torus (JET), a leading fusion device near Oxford, UK, set a new world record for fusion energy output in its final experiment. The JET team accomplished this feat by generating 69 megajoules of fusion energy for five seconds, utilizing a mere 0.2 milligrams of fuel.

Achieved through heating a plasma of deuterium and tritium to a scorching 150 million degrees Celsius—10 times hotter than the sun's core—the achievement can power approximately 12,000 homes for the same duration. To find out what this means for the next generation of fusion devices, check out today's Must Read.

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MUST READ

The UK's Joint European Torus (JET), one of the world’s largest and most powerful fusion devices, achieved a record-breaking feat by heating deuterium and tritium plasma to 150 million degrees Celsius—10 times hotter than the sun's core. The results demonstrate the viability of using these hydrogen isotopes as fuel for future fusion power plants.

Australian geologists have solved the mystery of what triggered and sustained an extreme ice age that gripped the Earth more than 700 million years ago. Using plate tectonic models to simulate the evolution of the Earth's surface and carbon dioxide emission from underwater volcanoes, they found that the onset of the ice age coincided with a period of very low volcanic activity.

Researchers achieve a breakthrough in EV batteries using silicon-based materials and gel electrolytes, edging closer to a 1,000-kilometer range on a single charge. Their innovative approach results in stable battery performance, even with micro silicon particles a hundred times larger than those traditionally used.

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Question of the day

Do you believe the JET experiment's success indicates a promising future for fusion power plants?

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🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Resourcefulness in salvaging components for makeshift generators (35%)

🟨🟨🟨⬜️️⬜️️⬜️️ Ingenuity using basic tools and wind energy (24%)

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🟨🟨🟨⬜️️⬜️⬜️ The potential positive impact on communities facing adversity worldwide (28%)

We can reliably create fusion plasmas using the same fuel mixture to be used by commercial fusion energy powerplants, showcasing the advanced expertise developed over time.”

Dr. Fernanda Rimini, JET Senior Exploitation Manager

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