𝗧𝗼 𝗠𝗲

This is big, and insanely ambitious: China now plans to have an operational fusion-fission nuclear power plant by 2030, in less than 5 years 👀

What's more, the "Q value" (simply put: how much energy you get out compared to what you put in) that the project aims for is more than 30. In other words, for every unit of energy used to run the reactor, they aim to produce 30 units back. 

For comparison, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) under construction in France is targeting a Q value above 10. And the US National Ignition Facility achieved a Q of only 1.5 in 2022.

 will use fusion reactions to create neutrons (high-energy particles). These neutrons then hit a surrounding layer of uranium or thorium, causing those materials to split in traditional nuclear reactions.