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“JET has created a real fusion community”

A montage of event scenes including a cake, people posing for photos, and displays of machinery and presentations.

On Wednesday 28 February hundreds of fusion experts gathered from across the world in Culham, UK, to celebrate four decades of scientific operations at the Joint European Torus (JET). Joining them was fusion expert Sara Moradi, who learned how to operate a tokamak at JET and has since become deputy leader of the EUROfusion Fusion Science Department. We asked her to collect as many photos and experiences as she could and share them here.

Standing Ovation for JET Inventor

An elderly man in a suit stands at a podium with a microphone, wearing a red lanyard and speaking at an event.

A touching moment warmed the hearts of many when the inventor of the Joint European Torus (JET) was greeted with a resounding ovation at Wednesday’s JET Celebration Day event at Culham Campus.

Small Scale, Big Impact: Transforming Brittle Tungsten with Woven Tungsten Yarns

A black-and-white highly magnified SEM view of radial braided tungsten filaments, revealing their detailed woven structure.

This week’s spotlighted image reveals the foundational element for the advanced composite showcased in our first post. It displays radially braided yarns engineered with the exceptional capability to reinforce materials that are typically brittle, such as tungsten (below DBTT – ductile to brittle transition temperature). Within the demanding environment of a nuclear fusion device, plasma-facing […]

Tungsten Crystals for Nuclear Fusion?

A black-and-white SEM micrograph displaying the fractal-like surface of tungsten crystals with pyramid-like structures.

Tungsten, known for having the highest melting point among all metals, plays a pivotal role in advancing nuclear fusion technology. Its resilience to extreme temperatures, efficient thermal conduction, minimal neutron activation, and low interaction with fusion fuels, positions tungsten as the leading candidate for plasma-facing components (PFCs) in commercial nuclear fusion reactors. However, crafting tungsten […]

Energy Consumption and Fuels

A modern house with a balcony and large windows, surrounded by trees, with text comparing the heating efficiency of different fuels.

The core functions of our body, the steady rumble of an automobile, the quiet operations of our digital devices, and the soothing heat in our living spaces all depend on a vital element: energy. In an era of expanding population, shrinking spatial and fuel reserves, we face new challenges that call for immediate and lasting […]

When the Perfect Material Doesn’t Exist: Exploring Fusion’s Material Challenges

A black-and-white SEM micrograph displaying the rough and uneven fracture surface of a composite material.

Often, we hear statements like: ‘Fusion is and always will be 30 years away!’ ‘There is no progress in nuclear fusion research!’ ‘Why don’t we just use our already working fusion reactor and simply use solar panels?’ Statements like these are not unusual when it comes to nuclear fusion, but let’s explore the reality. Is […]