Chinese scientists create a magnetic field 700,000 times stronger than Earth's

A team of Chinese scientists has set a new world record by generating a steady field with a strength of 35.5 tesla (351,000 gauss), using a fully superconducting magnet. This achievement — announced by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Plasma Physics — represents an important milestone in advanced magnet technology. To put this into perspective, the magnetic field is 700,000 times stronger than Earth's magnetic field (approximately 0.5 gauss).

This record-breaking magnet — developed by the team at ASIPP in Hefei in collaboration with Tsinghua University and other institutions — beats the previous world record of 32.35 tesla, which was set in 2019. The new magnet operated at peak capacity for 30 minutes at a time before being demagnetized, demonstrating excellent stability.

To achieve this, the team used a hybrid design, putting a high temperature superconducting coil inside a conventional low-temperature superconducting magnet. An approach one of the researchers — Liu Fang — said allowed them to overcome huge technical challenges related to extreme stress and multiple magnetic fields.

This breakthrough will have the most immediate impact in nuclear fusion, where such powerful magnets are needed for creating a “magnetic cage” to confine the ultra-hot plasma needed to sustain a fusion reaction. Beyond nuclear fusion, it could also result in advanced magnetic levitation (maglev), better electromagnetic propulsion technology, and more.

The institute also announced it has achieved complete localization of the necessary superconducting materials and systems, establishing a domestic supply for all the needed materials.

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