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The transition to superconducting has been observed in the JT-60SA's central solenoid and toroidal field magnets, according to reporting by the team.

Superconductivity is a natural property of certain metals, alloys and ceramics when cooled below a defined "critical temperature." Below the critical temperature—which varies for each material—electrical resistance drops to zero, allowing these materials to carry large amounts of electrical current without losing energy.

JT-60SA's central solenoid is wound from niobium tin (Nb3Sn) cable-in-conduit conductor, which in the absence of any magnetic field becomes superconducting at about 18 K (-255°C). Early on 22 July the four modules of the central solenoid reached this temperature and the resistance of the magnets dropped to almost zero. The superconducting transition for the tokamak's 18 toroidal field coils and 6 equilibrium field coils (made from niobium titanium (NbTi) cable-in-conduit conductor) occurred at about 9 K (-264°C) on 24 July.

The JT-60SA tokamak is a joint program of fusion research and development agreed and co-financed by the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the government of Japan.

See the full report on this .

The sixth and last episode of Season 2 of The ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ World is now available.

"Narrating A Giant" caps off the season by interviewing ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Head of Communication Laban Coblentz. What public information strategy should be followed for this project that has so many complex layers of science, engineering, technology and politics? How to sustain interest in a project that spans decades? How to combat misconceptions? 

Listen to the latest episode directly on the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website or through , , , , , or .

Physicist Hartmut Zohm from Germany's Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) invites ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ's Head of Science, Alberto Loarte, to discuss the recent technical setbacks at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ and plans for recovery. 

What are the specific problems and solutions? How will the setbacks affect full-power operation? Is scientific planning affected? Is the delay for repair also an opportunity in some areas to modify strategy? In what ways does ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ remain a "teaching" device?

The 17-minute talk "Nuclear Fusion: Problems at the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Research Project and Current Solutions" is available in and .

RAZOR, CGTN Europe's science and technology show, has published a 27-minute episode on the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Project.

Host Neil Cairns takes the viewer into some of the most interesting spaces of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ site, including the cathedral-like Tokamak pit, the gargantuan Assembly Hall and ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Headquarters where staff from 35 nations are collaborating to "recreate the Sun's energy" on Earth. Through interviews with workers, managers and staff, the documentary captures the ambition of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ and the gamechanging nature of fusion. "It's like when humans learned how to use fire," says one of the Chinese consortium members involved in machine assembly. "This is the second fire of humans in our history."

Watch "Are we any closer to recreating the Sun's energy at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ?" on the RAZOR Science YouTube channel .

The has released its third annual survey of private fusion enterprises around the world.

The fusion industry continues to grow globally, with 13 new entrants, USD 1.4 billion (EUR 12.5 billion) in fresh funding, and nearly 1,000 direct jobs (+3,000 in the supply chain) created.

Private fusion initiatives exist in Australia (1), Canada (1), China (2), France (1), Israel (1), Italy (1), Germany (3), Japan (3), New Zealand (1), Sweden (1), the United Kingdom (3), and the United States (25).

These fusion companies are also benefitting at times from public money, as governments seek to spur innovation through public-private partnerships.

The companies participating in the survey spoke of their optimism about delivering fusion power to the grid, although "challenges remain."

You can download "The Global Fusion Industry in 2023" from on the Fusion Industry Association website.

Offering unsurpassed hardness, broad band optical transparency, and extremely high thermal conductivity, synthetic diamonds are the material of choice for 60 small windows that offer access to the machine for the high-frequency electromagnetic waves of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ's electron cyclotron heating system, yet ensure a tight vacuum boundary.

The European Domestic Agency for ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ, Fusion for Energy, has procured 60 synthetic diamond discs through the German firm Diamond Materials. Now they must be polished, optically inspected, and finally joined with the diamond window unit through brazing.

See the on the Fusion for Energy website for all the details.

The second edition of the Fusion for Energy Contracting Professionals Roundtable took place at ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Headquarters from 26 to 28 June 2023. The event, organized in collaboration with the International Nuclear Law Association (INLA) and the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ, focused on innovative legal thinking for successful fusion megaprojects.

During the three-day event, participants worked together to discuss and develop conditions for the successful delivery of fusion megaprojects. Themes such as contract strategies, forms of contract, nuclear liabilities, export control, insurance, competition law, public procurement law, intellectual property law and the regulation of fusion technologies were at the centre of the discussions. Approximately 300 participants from 20 countries took part.

See on the Fusion for Energy website.

The JT-60SA tokamak—a joint program of fusion research and development agreed and co-financed by the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the government of Japan—has officially restarted operations, according to news posted to the . 

On 30 May 2023, the team kicked off vacuum pumping operations to evacuate particles from the vacuum vessel and cryostat. Leak testing of the cryostat, cryostat helium pipes and vacuum vessel followed, before steps were taken to initiate magnet cooldown. The cooling of the JT-60SA magnets has been underway since 14 June and is proceeding steadily; you can follow progress on .

JT-60SA has been designed to support the operation of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ by following a complementary research and development program, and to investigate how best to optimize the operation of fusion power plants that are built after ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ. Further details of its experimental program are explained in the JT-60SA . During device commissioning in 2021, a short circuit at the terminals of one of the machine's largest poloidal field coils resulted in a period of assessment, analysis and repair. The restarting of the device is excellent news for the integrated project team and for the fusion community as a whole.

In the latest episode of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Stories (Season 2, Episode 5), hear what it's like to move from abroad for the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Project ... from the point of view of five ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ spouses.

In "±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Spouses, A Journey of Transformation," Mansi, Joke, Moon-Jeong, Zijin and Pieter speak about their experiences moving to Provence to support their spouses and their voyage into the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ World. From raising children, to learning the ropes of living in Provence, rebuilding identities, and taking life into their own hands, they share thoughts that may be interesting to families who are considering a move to ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ in the future, other expats, or the simply curious.

Listen to the latest episode directly on the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website or through , , , , , or .

The 2022 Report on Human Resources offers the most recent snapshot of the human element of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ. Who is behind the engineering, the science, and the day-to-day management and administration of the world's largest research collaboration?

±¬×ߺÚÁÏ staff grew by 3.3% in 2022 over the preceding year, reaching 1,069 members. European staff members represent 69% of the 2022 total, while staff from the six other Members is distributed as follows: China 8.1%, India 2.4%, Japan 3.6%, Korea 6.1%, Russia 7.2% and the United States 3.4%. Staff joined the project from all ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Members in 2022, with the Human Resources Department fielding 3,098 applications for 111 newcomer recruitments. Of total appointments in 2022, 12.3% were women.

Just over 77% of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ staff members have an advanced degree (Master's, engineering degree, or PhD). Women represent 18.6% of the staff body, and hold 9% of management positions. The average age of all staff is 45.3 years old (43.9 years for women, and 45.6 years for men). In 2022, global turnover was 7%, with 73 departures.

Nearly 80% of staff choses to live in either Aix-en-Provence (pop. 147,000) or Manosque (pop. 23,000), two of the larger towns in the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ environment, and 75% have at least one dependent child. Nearly 70% of staff were rewarded in 2022 for performance, and 19.3% were promoted through contract renewal.

See all this granular detail and more in the 2022 ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Report on Human Resources here.

Besides attending an ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Open Doors Day, the best way to familiarize yourself with the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ construction project is to watch our latest drone video. It takes you in and out of the buildings on site—including the tall Assembly Hall where ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ's some of ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ's largest components are viewable—and flies far overhead for an update on the latest site infrastructure achievements.

Watch it on the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website or .

The Energy Subcommittee of the US House Committee on Science, Space and Technology held a hearing on fusion energy on Tuesday 13 June 2023. 

Titled "From Theory to Reality: The Limitless Potential of Fusion Energy," the hearing focused on how this "history-changing energy source" is progressing from scientific experiment to commercial reality. 

Invited to speak before the Subcommittee members were: Kathryn McCarthy, Director, US ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Project Office; David Kirtley, CEO, Helion Energy; Wayne Solomon, Vice President, Magnetic Fusion Energy, General Atomics; Andrew Holland, CEO, Fusion Industry Association; Scott Hsu, Senior Advisor and Lead Fusion Coordinator, US Department of Energy.

You can watch the full hearing in replay (starts at 44:45).

For your wall at home or in the office! Download an annotated photo of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ site—part of the annual ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Planet brochure, featuring descriptions in English and French. Or, see this page of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website for all the latest ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ publications.

Download the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Planet brochure .

Registration for the 28th International Conference on Magnet Technology (MT-28) is open on line through 5 September 2023 on the .

See all fee information , including reductions for retired participants, students and one-day attendees. The registration fee includes access to the exhibition, all technical sessions, all poster sessions, and receptions.

The conference will take place in Aix-en-Provence, France (only 30 minutes from the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ site) from 10 to 15 September 2023. ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ site visits will be organized.

To register to MT-28, see .

From a survey of 26 private fusion companies and 34 supplier companies, the Fusion Industry Association—a US-registered non-profit independent trade association for the acceleration of the arrival of fusion power—predicts a huge growth in demand for fusion suppliers over the coming years. 

Its report  calculates that from USD $500 million in 2022, the fusion supply chain is set to increase to over USD 7 billion by the time companies build their first-of-a-kind power plants. When the fusion industry reaches maturity, the supply chain is predicted to be worth trillions of dollars.

Seventy percent of fusion companies surveyed, however, said their suppliers see building the capacity to meet future demand as too risky without committed orders. "It is clear more long-term certainty is needed—through a mix of finance, regulation, risk-sharing mechanisms, and more communication—so suppliers are prepared to scale ahead of industry need."

Read the full report on the .

The International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD), in partnership with UNESCO, is taking place this year on 5 June.

Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development is the ambitious program that the Member States of the United Nations have agreed on to ensure a balanced, sustainable and inclusive development of the planet.

Basic sciences have an important contribution to make to the implementation of this program. They provide the essential means to meet crucial challenges such as universal access to food, energy, health coverage and communication technologies. They enable us to understand the impact of the currently nearly 8 billion people on the planet and to act to limit, and sometimes even to reduce it: depletion of the ozone layer, climate change, depletion of natural resources, extinction of living species.

Applications of technology are easy to recognize. On the other hand, contributions of basic, curiosity-based, sciences are not well appreciated. They are nonetheless at the basis of major technological advances that stimulate innovation, as well as essential for training future professionals and for developing capacity of populations who can take part in decisions that affect their future. UNESCO is well aware of this: its Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers, revised in 2017, recalls the importance of bringing together politicians, scientists, diplomats, international organizations, entrepreneurs and every goodwill person.

The International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, that we organize in 2022 and 2023, focuses on these links between basic sciences and the Sustainable Development Goals. This is a unique opportunity to convince all stakeholders that through a basic understanding of nature, actions taken will be more effective, for the common good.

±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Head of Communication Laban Coblentz will be delivering a talk on "The ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Project: collaborating on basic science for a new energy future" at 18:30 Paris time (CET).

Click for the livestream. See all information about the IYBSSD event .

Episode 4 of The ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ World, ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ's second podcast miniseries, is now available.

What do a 14 year old in the south of France, a robot competition, and a scientist at a pioneering nuclear fusion experiment have in common? The love for coding and human collaboration!

In "±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Robots: Connecting as Humans," host Kruti Mawani Fayot joins middle and high school students at the annual ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Robots event, where they compete with Lego-based robots that have been designed and programmed to complete ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ-like handling tasks.

Listen to the latest episode directly on the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website or through the following channels: , , , , , and .  

Visit the podcast page of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website for all Season 1 and Season 2 episodes.

Join fellow fusion PhD candidates from all over Europe in August in Lausanne, Switzerland!

The annual PhD Event organized by the European Fusion Education Network, FuseNet, will take place this year at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

From 23 to 25 August, meet and greet fellow fusion researchers. The event will feature high-profile keynote speakers, a top-notch scientific program and the much anticipate PechaKucha contest, where students present their research in 20 slides, 20 seconds per slide.

See all information . Register before 14 June 2023.

Listen to physicist Hartmut Zohm from Germany's Max Planck Institute of Plasma Physics (IPP) as he addresses what in his view are the five most common misconceptions about fusion research: 1) Fusion energy is always 30 years away; 2) With the money flowing into fusion research right now, a fusion power plant can be built in 10 years; 3) Using alternative fuels circumvents all the challenges; 4) Your Q values are not correct; 5) In fusion research, every success is a breakthrough.

The 20-minute talk""5 Myths ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ Nuclear Fusion" is available in and .

Episode 3 of The ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ World, ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ's second podcast miniseries, is now available.

"Falling for Fusion" features interviews with two young fusion enthusiasts who explain how they came to find out about fusion science and technology, how they joined the effort to increase the visibility of this very active field of research, and where they think fusion fits into the future.

Listen to the latest episode with host Kruti Mawani Fayot directly on the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website or through the following channels: , , , , , and .  

Visit the podcast page of the ±¬×ߺÚÁÏ website for all episodes.