Fusion progress

[begreen]

In China, EAST set a new record last month, now the WEST tokamak has made 22 minutes is the new milestone to beat.

Nuclear fusion: WEST beats the world record for plasma duration!

On 12 February, the CEA’s WEST machine was able to maintain a plasma for more than 22 minutes. In doing so, it smashed the previous record for plasma duration achieved with a tokamak. This leap forward demonstrates how our knowledge of plasmas and technological control of them over longer...

www.cea.fr

 

[stoveliker]

Yes, good systems and materials test.
Unfortunately as of yet at powers below what is needed for fusion to happen.
I was able to have my plasma going for days on end. At 150 W...

These things are necessary but do not necessarily indicate progress at the level that is suggested. Going to double the power will likely quadruple the problems and thus cut the time by a lot.

I don't like press release hoopla (especially here, "us" vs "them" (China) bragging contest) because it raises expectations beyond what is actually achieved and the path that still needs to be traveled.

Similar about the majorana qubit from Microsoft. More marketing than actual achievement. (See the remark at the top of the peer review file....)