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Plasma fusion: Adding just enough fuel to the fire

How much fuel can we add to the fire while still maintaining control? Metaphorically speaking, that's the question one team at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has been asking themselves ...

New design prolongs the lifespan of plasma torches

Thanks to a new design contributed by a research team led by Prof. Zhao Peng from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the operation time for plasma torch gas been extended from ...

Study shows inverting fusion plasmas improves performance

To become commercially viable, fusion power plants must create and sustain the plasma conditions necessary for fusion reactions. However, at high temperatures and densities, plasmas often develop gradients in those temperatures ...

Plasma oscillations propel breakthroughs in fusion energy

Most people know about solids, liquids, and gases as the main three states of matter, but a fourth state of matter exists as well. Plasma—also known as ionized gas—is the most abundant, observable form of matter in our ...

Engineers use AI to wrangle fusion power for the grid

In the blink of an eye, the unruly, superheated plasma that drives a fusion reaction can lose its stability and escape the strong magnetic fields confining it within the donut-shaped fusion reactor. These getaways frequently ...

New design improves water decontamination via plasma jet

Plasma is an ionized gas—that is, a gas containing electrons, ions, atoms, molecules, radicals, and photons. It is often called the fourth state of matter, and surprisingly, it permeates everything. Plasmas, which are artificially ...

More news

Plasma Physics
Liquid lithium on the walls of a fusion device helps the plasma within maintain a hot edge
Plasma Physics
Researchers visualize energetic ion flow in fusion devices
Optics & Photonics
Process for the optical analysis of trace gases optimized
Plasma Physics
New code developed for tokamak plasma rotation and transport analysis
Plasma Physics
Korean artificial sun, KSTAR, completes divertor upgrades for long pulse operations
General Physics
Newly developed material gulps down hydrogen, spits it out, protects fusion reactor walls
Plasma Physics
Physicist explains X-rays that shouldn't exist in 'cold' plasma
Plasma Physics
Collisions change how fast ions surf on plasma waves in fusion experiments and beyond
Optics & Photonics
An anomalous relativistic emission arising from the intense interaction of lasers with plasma mirrors
General Physics
Japanese experimental nuclear fusion reactor inaugurated
General Physics
Shrinking particle accelerators with cold plasma and a large picnic basket
Plasma Physics
New study shows how universities are critical to emerging fusion industry
Optics & Photonics
Compact accelerator technology achieves major energy milestone
Plasma Physics
A breakthrough discovery could accelerate the arrival of controlled fusion energy on Earth
General Physics
The LHC lead-ion collision run starts
Plasma Physics
Machine learning hunts for the right mix of hydrogen isotopes for future nuclear fusion power plants
Plasma Physics
Elucidating the mechanism of protective layers on fusion reactors that resist peeling
Plasma Physics
Scientists discover shortcut that aids the design of twisty fusion facilities
Plasma Physics
Let there be matter: Simulating the creation of matter from photon–photon collisions
Plasma Physics
New property of hydrogen predicted

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Plants & Animals
Chickadees have unique neural 'barcodes' for memories of stashing away food
Cell & Microbiology
Scientists discover a key quality-control mechanism in DNA replication
Plants & Animals
Tiny orchid flowers pollinated by tiny flies
Astronomy
New cataclysmic variable discovered by astronomers
Cell & Microbiology
Researchers discover new microRNA-regulated pathway to boost iPS cell-derived platelet production
Cell & Microbiology
Constructing 'on-gel' alveolar organoids as a new screening platform
Astronomy
Gravitational waves may have made human life possible
Cell & Microbiology
Novel role for metabolites in cellular metabolism discovered
Archaeology
Q&A: Archaeologist's fieldwork finds movement of crops, animals played a key role in domestication
Cell & Microbiology
Scientists identify novel lysosome fission factor
Nanophysics
Nano-oscillator hits record quality factor
Condensed Matter
'Shear sound waves' provide the magic for linking ultrasound and magnetic waves
Cell & Microbiology
Study highlights the potential of cyanobacteria as biofertilizers
Polymers
New hydrogel can stretch to 15 times its original size
Condensed Matter
Magnetic avalanche triggered by quantum effects: 'Barkhausen noise' detected for first time
Environment
Atmospheric observations in China show rise in emissions of a potent greenhouse gas
Astronomy
Faintest known star system orbiting the Milky Way discovered
Social Sciences
Song lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive since 1980, study finds
Ecology
Supergene research solves the mystery of tiny ant queens
Biochemistry
Biochemists discover first new antibacterial class in decades