Obviously not everything is a race, and adoption matters much more than invention, but was interesting seeing China, France, and Britain’s (and I think Canada maybe?) fusion teams one upping their fusion length records. I think my money is still on China, but I’m not a fusion expert so I’m not quite sure hoe far apart all the contenders are from each other.
Wait. Are you saying they actually have the ability to build 10-foot tall mini-fusion reactors?
China allegedly has blueprints for it, or if they don’t, it’s something they plan to create blueprints for in the coming years and decades.
They probably have draft proposals that are ready to go after the technology is invented. That way they’re ready for a fusion breakthrough if it ever comes.
It looks increasingly like China is expecting a breakthrough in the coming years. This isn’t so much science fiction, anymore.
I might be jaded from Western scientists always “”“expecting”“” a breakthrough and it never coming, but to be fair they have to perpetually pretend they’re close to a breakthrough to get more grant funding and investments. There’s no interest in science for its own sake in the West.
China is clearly emerging as the leader of scientific development, though, and the political economy in China is obviously different. I’m still pessimistic about fusion, but if anyone figures it out it’ll be them.