China’s space station just turned up the heat—literally! 🔥 Scientists aboard the Tianhe core module have smashed a world record by heating tungsten alloy to a blistering 3,100°C in a groundbreaking space experiment. That’s nearly half the temperature of the sun’s surface! 🌞
The experiment, conducted in a container-free lab cabinet, leveraged the station’s microgravity to study ultra-high-temperature materials. Why space? 🤔 Professor Hu Liang from Northwestern Polytechnical University explains: "Microgravity lets molten tungsten form perfect spheres, making it easier to analyze its properties." Plus, Earth’s gravity messes with alloy mixing—space keeps everything uniform! 🚀
This isn’t just about bragging rights. Tungsten’s insane heat resistance (melting point: 3,412°C!) makes it vital for nuclear fusion reactors and next-gen aerospace tech. The team’s electrostatic levitation device—which uses electric fields to float materials—paved the way for this cosmic achievement. 💡
With "original data" now in hand, researchers say the findings could revolutionize materials used in everything from rocket engines to clean energy. Talk about reaching for the stars! 🌟
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China sets record with 3,100°C tungsten alloy heating in space
cgtn.com