科学与健康丨聚变能研发进入新阶段，“人造太阳”离我们有多远？

Core Insights - The development of fusion energy has entered a new phase, with significant advancements in technology and international collaboration [3][4]. Group 1: Fusion Energy Challenges and Opportunities - Achieving controlled nuclear fusion requires creating extreme conditions, with plasma needing to be heated to over 100 million degrees Celsius, which is 6 to 7 times the temperature at the sun's core [2]. - Successful controlled fusion could lead to profound changes, providing a nearly limitless clean energy source and reducing reliance on fossil fuels [2]. Group 2: Global Progress in Fusion Research - The global fusion energy research is now characterized by parallel pathways and rapid iterations, with two main technical routes: magnetic confinement and inertial confinement [3]. - The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is the largest global fusion research project, aiming to demonstrate the feasibility of magnetic confinement fusion by 2040 to 2050 [3]. Group 3: China's Role in Fusion Energy Development - China has established itself as a key player in fusion energy, with a complete nuclear industrial system and a collaborative innovation framework involving academia and industry [4][5]. - Significant milestones include the "Chinese Circulation No. 3" achieving over 100 million degrees Celsius and the EAST facility setting a world record for high-quality burning at 100 million degrees for 1000 seconds [5].