CCTV1 — -2026-25
20260808 180100 UTC
265 transcript segments
Google Cloud Speech-to-Text API (Chirp) + Gemini 2.5 Flash Non-Thinking
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Machine transcription. Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a verbatim quotation record.

[00:00:45] If one day, the energy from a cup of water scooped from the sea could light up an entire city,
[00:00:49] if one day new energy vehicles and spaceships
[00:00:51] were no longer restricted by fuel replenishment, achieving
[00:00:55] continuous operation. Would you feel that this is a fantasy?
[00:00:59] 持 续 运 行 。
[00:01:01] But for scientists, these are not
[00:01:03] unreachable dreams,
[00:01:07] but the future after controlled fusion
[00:01:11] and significant changes have been achieved in human-made suns.
[00:01:14] The sun emits light and heat because of the massive
[00:01:18] energy produced by the fusion reaction within it.
[00:01:22] The first time a fusion reaction was achieved on Earth
[00:01:25] was in a hydrogen bomb. But that was uncontrollable.
[00:01:29] We are researching.
[00:02:42] attention on fusion, starting a fusion craze.
[00:02:45] There are two relatively extreme views. One view believes
[00:02:49] that fusion cannot escape the 50-year curse, believing
[00:02:53] that fusion is impossible to achieve. This view is too optimistic.
[00:02:57] Another view believes that
[00:03:33] the current nuclear energy we
[00:03:36] have, in fact, originated from the atomic bomb explosion, after which everyone
[00:03:40] hoped to use the principle of atomic bomb explosion and fission
[00:03:43] to provide energy for humans. Then, in less than a decade, the first
[00:03:47] nuclear power plant was successfully built. After
[00:03:51] the hydrogen bomb explosion, everyone saw that nuclear fusion
[00:03:54] could generate enormous energy. Its energy density
[00:03:58] is four times higher than that produced by fission.
[00:04:02] One of its main fuels is tritium.
[00:04:16] So, this has enormous appeal to humanity.
[00:04:17] 。
[00:04:23] This is the working principle of the tokamak. It was first proposed by scientists
[00:04:27] in the 1950s. Later, it became
[00:04:31] the mainstream path for controlled fusion research.
[00:04:34] However, this path is very difficult.
[00:04:37] Humanity has spent over half a century,
[00:04:41] building more than 100 related experimental research devices.
[00:04:45] Some have undergone thousands, even tens of thousands of experiments. All the conditions
[00:04:48] have been met, but it is very difficult to achieve. So why can
[00:04:52] we in China build our own artificial sun?
[00:04:54] In fact,
[00:04:58] China started controlled fusion research
[00:05:02] in the 1950s, basically at the same time
[00:05:06] as the international community. However, at that time,
[00:05:09] due to technical conditions and funding support,
[00:05:15] progress was relatively slow. It wasn't until 1984 that China's first
[00:05:18] large tokamak device, which is China's
[00:05:22] HT-6B, was built. Compared with international standards,
[00:05:26] it lagged behind by more than 10 years.
[00:05:29] 。
[00:05:32] At that time, any international fusion experiment was a project as the largest
[00:05:35] and most influential international nuclear fusion cooperation project,
[00:05:39] which was already completed. After China joined the plan, it actively chose one of the most difficult and challenging experiments, which is an experiment
[00:06:59] where no other object has been exposed to such intense heat before.
[00:07:07] I remember clearly when the technical staff
[00:07:12] encountered a coefficient problem that they couldn't solve, especially when it couldn't be solved
[00:07:16] for a long time, they would call me in the middle of the night. They were
[00:07:20] very worried and felt confused. What should we do?
[00:07:23] I said, let's have a good discussion tomorrow, we will always find a solution.
[00:07:27] Finally,
[00:07:30] the certification was in 2022. The first full-scale
[00:07:34] prototype successfully passed the relevant assessment,
[00:07:38] indicating that our country has progressed from following
[00:07:41] to keeping pace, and even leading
[00:07:45] internationally in this technology.
[00:07:46] 列
[00:07:49] The main body and auxiliary systems,
[00:07:58] this main body, like this spherical body, is like our
[00:08:01] human heart, and the auxiliary part
[00:08:05] is like heating it up and down, that's our human
[00:08:09] body's blood vessels and脉络. Achieving controlled
[00:08:13] fusion reaction is actually very challenging. Everyone
[00:08:17] knows that the hydrogen bomb utilizes the principle of nuclear
[00:08:20] fusion. So, to achieve the conditions
[00:08:24] for a hydrogen bomb explosion, it is detonated by an atomic bomb
[00:08:28] to reach high temperature and high pressure. So, how do we generate such extreme
[00:08:32] conditions in this device? One way is wave heating, which is similar
[00:08:36] to our microwave heating method, which is very
[00:08:39] effective. Like a surfer at sea, everyone has seen them. Surfers
[00:08:43] can convert the energy of waves into their own kinetic
[00:08:47] energy. We compare microwaves to waves, and plasma particles
[00:08:51] are surfers. As long as the speed of the microwave
[00:08:55] is faster than the particles, it is possible to transfer energy to these particles
[00:08:58] for heating. Given such a high temperature, what kind of
[00:09:02] material can withstand such a high temperature bombardment?
[00:09:05] In fact, there is no material on Earth
[00:09:09] that can withstand such a high temperature and intense
[00:09:13] bombardment. So, how do we prevent these high-energy
[00:09:17] particles from interacting with each other? We rely on very strong
[00:09:21] magnetic fields. You can see that these
[00:09:24] toroidal objects generate this directional
[00:09:28] magnetic field, which is a coil. We
[00:09:32] have very strong currents in these toroidal coils,
[00:09:36] which also generate perpendicular magnetic fields. When they are put
[00:09:39] together, their magnetic field lines are what we call helical magnetic
[00:09:43] field lines. This structure can stably
[00:09:47] confine these high-energy particles.
[00:09:47] 。
[00:09:52] Not long ago, a major breakthrough was achieved on the China HL-3 device.
[00:09:56] The ion temperature and electron temperature achieved
[00:10:00] operation with different degrees of difference. This means it has
[00:10:04] the ability to conduct fuel injection research.
[00:10:08] Previously, internationally, there were only two
[00:10:11] major devices: the US's
[00:10:25] T F T T R.
[00:10:33] When controlled fusion truly becomes a reality, our lives will undergo profound changes.
[00:10:39] Green self-sustained industries and materials.
[00:10:46] This is like artificial intelligence, which will have a profound impact on the development of artificial intelligence.
[00:10:52] In addition,
[00:10:55] new journeys and other sci-fi scenarios
[00:10:59] may also become reality
[00:12:55] to move forward one step, this still requires us to carry out
[00:12:58] combustion and other self-sustaining research, after cutting off the external energy source,
[00:13:02] it can achieve this condition by itself.
[00:13:06] reaction.
[00:13:08] 。
[00:13:11] And let it continue to burn by itself. Yes. Understand. So, Teacher Duan,
[00:13:15] do we have a rough timeline plan now?
[00:13:18] From the current technical situation of our homework,
[00:13:22] we can see. We,
[00:16:37] Teacher Duan, does this vision have prospects? Can
[00:16:41] it be realized? It's fine to imagine.
[00:16:44] But in reality, given the current
[00:16:48] technological development and the requirements for
[00:16:51] nuclear fusion, this is very difficult. Our current
[00:16:55] device. Its current size, China's
[00:16:59] Tokamak No. 3, is only a few dozen.
[00:17:01] 。
[00:17:31] But there's one thing: with the development of stored energy technology, we
[00:17:35] can make it very small, which is economically very
[00:17:38] advantageous. Through technology,
[00:17:41] we can utilize nuclear energy to store energy in a very small
[00:17:44] space for mobile phones and cars.
[00:17:48] Then we don't have to worry about energy shortages.
[00:17:51] From this perspective, it's feasible.
[00:18:37] No one has ever done it. The person responsible for this procurement package,
[00:18:41] almost my age, failed many times. He tried all sorts of
[00:18:45] methods, thought of every possible solution, but just couldn't solve it. He couldn't overcome this
[00:18:49] obstacle. So he called me in the middle of the night.
[00:18:51] 。
[00:18:55] He couldn't do it.
[00:18:56] 。
[00:18:59] He was also quite frustrated at the time, and I understood.
[00:19:02] 。
[00:19:07] So, at that time, I knew that many problems that we hadn't
[00:19:11] solved in the past could still be solved. This problem, this
[00:19:15] hurdle can be overcome. I have this confidence,
[00:19:18] so I said we'll talk about it tomorrow. So, tomorrow we'll
[00:19:22] discuss it. Didn't you actually have
[00:19:26] any idea at that time? Uh,
[00:19:29] yes, because in the world, no one else has done it. Is
[00:19:32] this path feasible? There's no 100% guarantee
[00:19:36] yet.
[00:26:54] as a scientific researcher at that time, the environmental conditions
[00:26:58] were much, much worse than now.
[00:27:22] So if the decision is wrong, then
[00:27:24] it could lead to a dead end for the future.
[00:27:28] So from another perspective, I still am.
[00:28:32] Another thing is to be sincere. That is, when interacting with
[00:28:36] some foreign scientists, it means that if you can
[00:28:40] do it, we can promise them. If you can't, don't
[00:28:44] just say you can. Otherwise, in the end, they expect
[00:28:47] you to help them solve this problem, then
[00:28:51] their trust in you will be greatly
[00:28:55] reduced. Right. Many things need to be thought over
[00:28:58] and over again. Every word, every phrase must be carefully considered and practiced to achieve it.
[00:30:02] Right? How many checks a day, 40 to 60 times,
[00:30:06] and various data adjustments. You guys are also very meticulous with details.
[00:30:10] So maybe this is what our team has already learned
[00:30:14] from Teacher Duan's principles and abilities
[00:30:18] of dealing with people. Right? Yes, we are indeed
[00:30:21] exerting our respective
[00:31:45] He said, "Did you see the news about the HT-3?" I said, "I'll take a look."
[00:31:48] "If you don't even watch this, how can you do fusion?"
[00:31:51] 。
[00:31:57] But I also observed that in Western countries, more
[00:32:01] and more private enterprises are continuously investing, unlike our country, which invests nationally.
[00:32:05] So I would like to ask Professor Duan, why is our country so
[00:32:09] keen on achieving an artificial sun?
[00:32:11] 。
[00:33:45] This is a path that must be taken. Because without these steps,
[00:33:49] some technologies and operational risks will not be
[00:33:52] mitigated. If you don't go through
[00:33:55] some preliminary stages to release its risks,
[00:33:59] then the final product may be able to generate electricity,
[00:34:02] but many risks will lead to fatal
[00:34:06] consequences for the next step of development.
[00:34:16] In fact, the question raised by this student just now also involves
[00:34:19] why our country has been persevering, where our advantage lies.
[00:34:48] But our country has accumulated very limited
[00:34:52] talent in the past few decades of development.
[00:34:56] The real professional and technical talent does not exceed 3,000 people.
[00:35:00] So now, to break through some key technologies as soon as possible,
[00:35:03] these advantageous teams must gather their strength together. This
[00:35:07] requires the country to have a suitable system and mechanism
[00:35:11] advantage, to gather these limited advantageous forces.
[00:36:27] the more confused I get. Because in the current era,
[00:36:31] fields like nuclear fusion, AI, and new energy
[00:36:34] are all receiving a lot of attention. But I've also observed
[00:36:38] that every industry has its cyclical fluctuations. For example, you just mentioned
[00:36:42] that nuclear fusion was once stuck in the "always 50 years away"
[00:36:46] curse. AI also went through a long winter.
[00:36:50] So for us students who are about to leave the laboratory,
[00:36:54] should we really seize the opportunity of the times and choose?
[00:37:28] If you're not very interested in scientific research itself, then choosing
[00:37:32] a scientific research unit or a direction with greater technical challenges
[00:37:35] won't last long.
[00:37:39] At the moment you can't solve the difficulties, you might
[00:37:42] shrink back, because you feel hopeless.
[00:37:46] When I chose fusion
[00:37:48] itself, the national investment and development
[00:37:52] at that time were still not satisfactory, right?
[00:37:56] 。
[00:38:27] He had no confidence, but you waited outside a bit longer.
[00:38:31] So I stayed for a few more years. Then I came back in 2007,
[00:38:35] and I already saw hope, which is that China
[00:38:38] applied to join the ITER project. This
[00:38:42] great master, the president told me, "You can come
[00:38:45] back now." So I came back. Of course,
[00:38:49] if it weren't for my own interest, I definitely wouldn't
[00:38:53] have chosen to be a civil servant.
[00:38:55] 。
[00:39:28] At that time, Professor Duan, did you have
[00:39:31] any plans for your life?
[00:39:33] 。
[00:39:41] I hadn't thought about it carefully when I came back, but I had thought that we had the opportunity to participate
[00:39:45] in the ITER project. This was indeed a very, very
[00:39:48] good opportunity for China's fusion community,
[00:39:52] including myself.
[00:39:54] 。
[00:41:46] Then I would like to ask Professor Duan, if one day we all get rid of our dependence on energy,
[00:41:50] and there are no so-called energy struggles, then will
[00:41:54] everyone be able to sit down and talk about peace?
[00:41:58] What do you think, Professor Duan?
[00:41:59] 。
[00:42:05] gradually replace other sources.
[00:42:07] 。
[00:42:11] It's relatively economical, but it's affected by weather and climate, and by local conditions. So
[00:42:15] solar energy is also. So there's a process. Then
[00:42:19] after it can completely replace other energy sources,
[00:42:23] I think it won't be a problem from an economic
[00:42:26] perspective, from the perspective of supply and demand.
[00:42:30] It may also develop to what you just predicted. So,
[00:42:34] will we not worry about energy in the future, and will there be no
[00:42:38] wars over energy?
[00:43:40] For example, some countries also hope that China can help
[00:43:43] them develop nuclear fusion research, including talent training, which is already underway.
[00:44:00] this topic, our director provided me with a set of data, saying that by extracting
[00:44:04] deuterium from a liter of seawater, we can achieve
[00:44:07] the energy equivalent of 300 liters of gasoline.
[00:44:10] Many people would say, "Isn't this like drawing a big pie?" But
[00:44:14] today, this pie, in fact, our
[00:44:17] chefs are cooking it for us,
[00:44:21] and it's in the pot. In the future, it's possible to serve
[00:44:25] it hot to the table. So everyone can open their minds. Just like
[00:44:29] we said at the beginning, when watching those sci-fi movies, everyone might
[00:44:32] feel that it is in a future that is out of reach.
[00:44:36] Today, the teacher has laid a solid foundation for this vision, which means that when our
[00:44:40] controllable fusion technology is fully developed,
[00:44:44] it may just happen around us. So, whether it's what
[00:44:48] the young man said about world peace, no more energy conflicts, or
[00:44:51] what everyone imagined, including Teacher Duan's space
[00:44:55] travel, it's all possible. So, one more
[00:44:59] thing, I hope everyone, especially young students, can all come
[00:45:03] to the front and contribute their own strength to this grand cause.
[00:45:07] 。