⚛️ Coating fusion reactors in liquid metal could unlock clean energy

Plus: North Korea tests nuclear cruise missile, China’s “supersolid” quantum cooling solution                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 January 25, 2024 | [Read Online]( In hot pursuit of viable fusion energy, physicists at Princeton found that lining the reactor with liquid lithium metal looks like a promising addition for smaller sustainable plants. And rather than merely containing million-degree plasma, the liquefied metal also boosts performance by absorbing escaping particles while driving density higher. The lab’s Lithium Tokamak facility builds hope that commercially viable compact fusion reactors may come online in future. Learn more about how swirling liquid metal delivered unexpected benefits for fusions researchers in today’s [Must Read](. 📺 [Subscribe to IE Originals]( for our weekly pick of the best science, tech, and engineering videos from around the world. Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. Let’s get into it! Reading time: 5 minutes 🤖 Dive into the future of robotics with us! Meet Peter Deng, behind DEEP Robotics' quadrupeds. Learn how these four-legged robots are redefining industries and academia. [Sign up to this FREE WEBINAR today!]( Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe ✉](  VIDEO OF THE DAY This is the Super Shield against North Korea and Iran Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) plays a vital role in the United States' strategy to establish a comprehensive, multi-tiered ballistic missile defense network. IE+ SUPPORT INTERESTING ENGINEERING Invest In Science And Engineering Insider access to exclusive content, featuring riveting stories that take you right to the heart of the action. Engage with our thriving online community, dive into captivating science discoveries, and stay informed with our enlightening weekly premium newsletters. With IE+, quality reporting is more than just news - and it is Ad-Free. [Subscribe]( [HOT TOPICS]( - 🪢 [Experts accidentally craft world's tiniest knot ever with just 54 atoms]( - ⚠️ [Blackouts by hack? 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With fission’s recent renaissance available to bridge the climate gap, innovations like Princeton’s show that the fusion race is still on. Each incremental advance will accrue one day into a fully-fledged fusion powerhouse. [Read more >]( [INNOVATION]( 💠 [China's quantum tech leap: ‘Supersolid’ material to cut helium reliance]( Chinese researchers report discovering an exotic quantum material exhibiting solid and liquid properties that could enable cooling technology without reliance on scarce helium imports. Achieving under 1 Kelvin by transitioning between “supersolid” states, the breakthrough may substitute for banned foreign refrigerators that are vital across Chinese industries like aerospace. Though practical applications remain far off, confirmation of theories that were once thought fantastical brings that day close. [Read more >]( [MILITARY]( 🚀 [North Korea debuts nuclear-capable cruise Missile]( North Korea claims a successful first flight test of its new Pulhwasal-3-31 strategic cruise missile, potentially able to deliver nuclear warheads against targets 1500 kilometers away. Deployable from land and sea, the still-in-development weapon joins the North’s expanding catalog of delivery systems designed to enhance its nuclear deterrent. [Read more >]( Question of the Day What do you think it will take to achieve commercially viable fusion? [More innovations like liquid lithium lining]( [The involvement of artificial intelligence]( [It'll be pure luck, in the end]( [It's a pipe dream, won't happen]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS We asked you which natural phenomenon you would most like to see mimicked by technology. Here are the results. 🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Color-changing skin like an octopus (18%) 🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Mantis shrimp multicolor vision (7%) 🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Tardigrade resilience (31%) 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Eagle-eyed perception (44%) “The results from LTX-β have been very promising — liquid lithium not only provides a wall that can withstand contact with a two-million-degree plasma, it actually improves the performance of the plasma.” Richard Majeski, a managing principal research physicist at PPPL and head of LTX-β THINGS WE LOVE [[Monochrome Laser Printer] Monochrome Laser Printer $129.99]( [[Bissell Portable Cleaner] Bissell Portable Cleaner $120.00]( [[Airthings Radon Detector] Airthings Radon Detector $113.99]( [[WiFi 6 Mesh System] WiFi 6 Mesh System $179.99]( AND ANOTHER THING - [Stubborn Texas alligators would rather freeze than leave their ponds]( - [A machine-learning tool detects cancer early with smaller blood samples]( - [Blockchain tech decodes early life in 4 billion reactions]( - [US-China tech war takes to space, 100+ chips tested at Tiangong Station]( Need help with advertising? 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