DAEJEON, SOUTH KOREA — On November 24, Korea's KSTAR, a superconducting fusion device called a tokamak, set a new world record when it managed to keep plasma sizzling at over 100 million degrees Celsius for a full 20 seconds. <br /><br />This marks an important step toward reaching the elusive goal of creating cleaner energy via nuclear fusion. <br /><br />In a fusion process, two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, resulting in a release of energy. <br /><br />To achieve this, hydrogen isotopes are placed inside a tokamak like KSTAR to create a plasma state where ions and electrons are separated, and the ions are then heated and maintained at extreme temperatures. <br /><br />A tokamak is a machine that creates three powerful magnetic fields to keep a superheated plasma confined. <br /><br />The powerful magnetic fields are designed to keep the plasma from touching the machine, as the plasma would vaporize the giant metallic machine if it escaped.<br /><br />An outer set of magnetic coils also shapes and positions the swirling, superheated plasma. <br /><br />The aim is to keep the plasma stable for long enough for fusion reactions to occur.
