中國在核能領(lǐng)域的突破將真正改變世界
What Is Really Going to Change the World – China’s Nuclear Energy Breakthrough
譯文簡介
中國已建成并運行全球首座釷核反應(yīng)堆，文章分析了這對世界帶來的影響，網(wǎng)友感嘆美國又有一領(lǐng)域被中國超越。
正文翻譯
As the world is spellbound by the zigzagging tariff war drama launched by reality TV star Donnie Trump and people marvel at the sheer destructiveness of a stupid mad man, a truly momentous event just happened in China.
當(dāng)全世界被真人秀明星唐尼·特朗普發(fā)起的曲折關(guān)稅戰(zhàn)戲劇所吸引，并驚嘆于這個愚蠢瘋子的純粹破壞力時，中國剛剛發(fā)生了一件真正重大的事件。
In early April, Chinese scientists achieved a milestone in clean energy technology by successfully adding fresh fuel to an operational thorium molten salt reactor, the first of its kind in the world. The breakthrough signals the arrival of commercially viable thorium nuclear reactor in China’s future energy mix.
四月初，中國科學(xué)家在清潔能源技術(shù)領(lǐng)域取得里程碑式成就，成功為全球首座運行中的釷基熔鹽堆添加新燃料。這一突破標(biāo)志著商業(yè)可行的釷核反應(yīng)堆即將進入中國未來的能源結(jié)構(gòu)。
Thorium is much safer and more abundant alternative to uranium for nuclear power as it is widely available, cheaper to extract, has higher energy density, and produces far less long-lasting nuclear waste.
釷是比鈾更安全、更豐富的核能替代品，因為它分布廣泛、開采成本更低、能量密度更高，且產(chǎn)生的長期核廢料少得多。
It is far safer than uranium as it is not fissile on its own so cannot be weaponized. Nuclear industry experts see thorium as the holy grail for future energy revolution next to nuclear fusion, which I’ll touch on briefly at the end.
它比鈾安全得多，因為釷本身不可裂變，無法被武器化。核工業(yè)專家將釷視為僅次于核聚變的未來能源革命“圣杯”——我將在文末簡要提及后者。
Thorium is found in abundant quantity in earth’s crust all over the world. One single mine in China’s Inner Mongolia, the Bayan Obo mine, has enough thorium deposits to theoretically meet China’s energy needs for the next 20,000 years, while producing minimal radioactive waste.
釷在地殼中儲量豐富。僅中國內(nèi)蒙古的白云鄂博礦，其釷儲量理論上就能滿足中國未來2萬年的能源需求，同時產(chǎn)生的放射性廢料極少。
The most promising technological direction is to use thorium in molten salt reactors. While multiple nations are developing the technology, China is the first to build an experimental thorium molten salt reactor.
最具前景的技術(shù)方向是將釷用于熔鹽反應(yīng)堆。盡管多國在研發(fā)該技術(shù)，但中國率先建成了實驗性釷基熔鹽堆。
The latest breakthrough to add fresh fuel to an operational reactor indicates such technology is ready for sustained commercial deployment.
此次為運行中的反應(yīng)堆添加新燃料的突破，表明該技術(shù)已具備持續(xù)商業(yè)部署的條件。
It marks the first long-term, stable operation of the technology, putting China at the forefront of a global race to harness thorium for nuclear power.
這標(biāo)志著該技術(shù)首次實現(xiàn)長期穩(wěn)定運行，使中國在釷核能開發(fā)的全球競賽中處于領(lǐng)先地位。
The experimental reactor, located in the Gobi Desert in China’s west, uses molten salt as the fuel carrier and coolant, and thorium as the fuel source. The reactor is designed to sustainably generate 2 megawatts of thermal power.
這座位于中國西部戈壁的實驗反應(yīng)堆以熔鹽為燃料載體和冷卻劑，釷為燃料來源，設(shè)計可持續(xù)產(chǎn)生2兆瓦熱能。
The development was announced by the project’s chief scientist, Xu Hongjie, at the Chinese Academy of Sciences on April 8. Xu said China “now leads the global frontier for thorium nuclear technology”.
4月8日，項目首席科學(xué)家徐洪杰在中國科學(xué)院宣布了這一進展。他表示中國“現(xiàn)已引領(lǐng)釷核技術(shù)的全球前沿”。
China’s thorium molten salt reactor project began with theoretical research in the 1970s, and in 2009 the CAS leadership tasked Xu with making the next-generation nuclear energy technology a reality.
中國的釷基熔鹽堆項目始于1970年代的理論研究，2009年中科院領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層委派徐洪杰將這項下一代核能技術(shù)變?yōu)楝F(xiàn)實。
The project team expanded from dozens of members to more than 400 researchers within two years.
項目團隊研究人員在兩年內(nèi)從幾十人擴展到400多名。
“We learned by doing, and did by learning,” Xu said. The challenges were immense – designing new materials, troubleshooting for extreme temperatures, and dealing with engineering components that had never been built before.
“我們在做中學(xué)，在學(xué)中做?！毙旌榻苷f。挑戰(zhàn)是巨大的——設(shè)計新材料、解決極端溫度下的故障，以及處理從未制造過的工程部件。
After construction of the experimental reactor started in 2018, most of the scientists involved in the project gave up their holidays – they worked day and night, and some stayed on site for more than 300 days in a year. The Gobi Desert is thousands of kilometres away from the major coastal cities.
2018年實驗堆開建后，多數(shù)參與項目的科學(xué)家放棄了休假——他們?nèi)找构ぷ?，有些人一年在現(xiàn)場駐留超過300天。戈壁沙漠距離沿海大城市數(shù)千公里。
By October 2023 it was built and achieved criticality – a sustained nuclear chain reaction. And by June 2024 it had reached full-power operation.
2023年10月，反應(yīng)堆建成并實現(xiàn)臨界——即持續(xù)核鏈?zhǔn)椒磻?yīng)。至2024年6月，它已達到滿功率運行。
Earlier this year the process of thorium fuel reloading was completed while the reactor was running – making it the only operational thorium reactor in the world.
今年早些時候，反應(yīng)堆在運行期間完成了釷燃料補充流程——使其成為全球唯一運行的釷反應(yīng)堆。
“We chose the hardest path, but the right one,” Xu was quoted as saying, referring to the drive for a real-world application rather than a purely academic pursuit.
“我們選擇了最艱難的路，但也是正確的路?！毙旌榻苋绱苏f道，意指這項技術(shù)以實際應(yīng)用為目標(biāo)，而非純學(xué)術(shù)追求。
A much bigger thorium molten salt reactor is already being built in China and is slated to achieve criticality by 2030. That research reactor is designed to produce 10 megawatts of electricity, enough to power 10,000 homes for a year.
中國已在建設(shè)一座更大的釷基熔鹽堆，計劃2030年實現(xiàn)臨界。該研究堆設(shè)計發(fā)電功率10兆瓦，足以滿足1萬戶家庭一年的用電需求。
China’s state-owned shipbuilding industry has also unveiled a design for thorium powered container ship that could potentially achieve emission-free maritime transport.
中國國有造船業(yè)還公布了一款釷動力集裝箱船的設(shè)計，有望實現(xiàn)零排放海運。
Meanwhile, US efforts to develop a molten salt reactor remain on paper, despite bipartisan congressional support and Department of Energy initiatives.
與此同時，盡管美國國會兩黨和能源部支持熔鹽堆研發(fā)，但其進展仍停留在紙面。
Xu said, “in the nuclear game, there are no quick wins. You need to have strategic stamina, focusing on doing just one thing for 20, 30 years.”
徐洪杰表示：“在核能領(lǐng)域，沒有速勝。你需要戰(zhàn)略定力，專注于一件事20年、30年。”
In addition to thorium reactors, China is on the leading edge of developing nuclear fusion technology (as opposed to current fission technology) that could lead to carbon-free, almost limitless, and clean energy. Fusion is the way sun powers itself and generates 4 times the amount of energy as fission.
除釷反應(yīng)堆外，中國在核聚變技術(shù)（與當(dāng)前裂變技術(shù)相對）開發(fā)上也處于前沿。聚變能實現(xiàn)零碳、近乎無限且清潔的能源，其原理與太陽產(chǎn)能相同，能量產(chǎn)出是裂變的4倍。
At the heart of this fusion revolution lies the tokamak, a donut-shaped device designed to contain superheated plasma using powerful magnetic fields. By mimicking the sun’s conditions—where hydrogen atoms fuse into helium—tokamaks enable the release of tremendous amounts of energy.
這場聚變革命的核心是托卡馬克裝置——一種利用強磁場約束超高溫等離子體的環(huán)形設(shè)備。通過模擬太陽中氫原子聚變?yōu)楹さ臈l件，托卡馬克能釋放巨大能量。
China is at the leading edge in global nuclear fusion development. Most recently, China achieved several key milestones in fusion research, including –
中國在全球核聚變發(fā)展中處于領(lǐng)先地位。最近，中國在聚變研究中取得多項關(guān)鍵里程碑，包括：
– Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), dubbed as “artificial sun” in China, has set new record in January 2025. The project is based Hefei and run by the China Academy of Sciences (CAS), the world’s leading scientific research institute.
- 2025年1月，被稱為中國“人造太陽”的全超導(dǎo)托卡馬克實驗裝置（EAST）創(chuàng)下新紀(jì)錄。該項目位于合肥，由全球領(lǐng)先科研機構(gòu)中國科學(xué)院運營。
EAST maintained a high-confinement plasma for 1,066 seconds, surpassing previous world record of 403 seconds – a crucial step towards sustained fusion reactions necessary for practical energy generation.
EAST將高約束等離子體維持了1,066秒，超越此前403秒的世界紀(jì)錄——這是實現(xiàn)實用化聚變能源所需持續(xù)反應(yīng)的關(guān)鍵一步。
– HL-2M Tokamak, located in Chengdu, is China’s largest and most advanced tokamak. It has achieved first plasma discharge and high plasma parameters, capable of producing plasma temperatures exceeding 200 million degrees Celsius and plasma currents over 2.5 million amperes, essential for efficient fusion reactions.
- 位于成都的HL-2M是中國最大、最先進的托卡馬克裝置。它已實現(xiàn)首次等離子體放電和高參數(shù)運行，可產(chǎn)生超過2億攝氏度的等離子體溫度和250萬安培的等離子體電流，這對高效聚變反應(yīng)至關(guān)重要。
– HH70 Tokamak, developed by Shanghai-based private company Energy Singularity, stands out for integrating high temperature superconducting magnets made from REBCO (rare earth barium copper oxide). This cutting edge technology dramatically reduces the size and cost of conventional tokamaks, paving the way for more accessible and commercial fusion energy.
- 上海民營企業(yè)能量奇點研發(fā)的HH70托卡馬克，因采用稀土鋇銅氧化物（REBCO）高溫超導(dǎo)磁體而脫穎而出。這項尖端技術(shù)大幅縮小了傳統(tǒng)托卡馬克的體積與成本，為更易普及的商業(yè)化聚變能源鋪路。
Energy Singularity plans to construct a next-gen tokamak by 2027 and a full scale technological demonstrator for fusion nuclear reaction by 2030.
能量奇點計劃2027年建成下一代托卡馬克，2030年完成聚變核反應(yīng)全尺寸技術(shù)示范堆。
Although commercial viability remains the final frontier, breakthroughs like EAST and HH70 showcase the significant strides towards turning nuclear fusion into a practical energy solution.
盡管商業(yè)化仍是最終難關(guān)，但EAST和HH70等突破展現(xiàn)了核聚變邁向?qū)嵱媚茉吹闹卮筮M展。
All the noises around tariffs and trade wars aside, technology is ultimately the path to human development and prosperity. Let’s keep our eyes on the ball.
拋開關(guān)稅與貿(mào)易戰(zhàn)的喧囂，技術(shù)終將是人類發(fā)展與繁榮之路。讓我們緊盯真正的目標(biāo)。
評論翻譯
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The lack of interest in thorium reactor research in the USA is probably because of the power of the oil, gas, uranium, and coal industries.
美國對釷反應(yīng)堆研究缺乏興趣，很可能是因為石油、天然氣、鈾和煤炭行業(yè)的勢力過大。
TG says:
An interesting and intelligent article. However, one major error: “technology is ultimately the path to human development and prosperity.” WRONG.
一篇有趣而智慧的文章，但有個重大錯誤：“技術(shù)終將是人類發(fā)展與繁榮之路”——大錯特錯。
Not that long ago in India, chemical fertilizers and the green revolution etc. created a massive increase food production, beyond the wildest dreams of anyone living as recently as say 1940. If the Indian people had limited themselves to 2 or even 3 kids each, they would have been lifted out of subsistence poverty. They would have HAD to have, as that massive increase in food production was created by existing adults using existing tools and resources, it was a done deal. However, they Indian people had six kids each starting at an early age and burned up all of the fruits of this technology, now they are crushed in subsistence and only averaging about 2 kids each but only because it is now physically impossible for them to have more. Remember: the Malthusian catastrophe is not some science fiction global apocalypse, but “misery and vice” where population growth tracks food production at the level of subsistence (you can’t go any lower, at least not for long). The POTENTIAL of humans to double their population every 20 years or so has, is, and always will, eventually cancel any technological advance.
不久前的印度，化肥和綠色革命等技術(shù)使糧食產(chǎn)量激增，遠超1940年代人們的想象。如果印度人當(dāng)時將生育率控制在每戶2-3個孩子，他們本可擺脫生存貧困——因為糧食增產(chǎn)是由當(dāng)時勞動人口用現(xiàn)有工具實現(xiàn)的既定成果。但印度人卻從年輕時就開始每戶生育6個孩子，耗盡了技術(shù)紅利，如今只能掙扎在溫飽線上，平均生育率降至2孩也僅僅是因為身體極限。記?。厚R爾薩斯災(zāi)難并非科幻式的全球末日，而是人口增長與糧食產(chǎn)量在生存線持平導(dǎo)致的“苦難與墮落”。人類每20年翻番的人口潛力，過去、現(xiàn)在和未來都終將抵消任何技術(shù)進步。
The physical standard of living for the average Indian today is substantially inferior to that of late Medi England. 500 years of western scientific and technological progress cancelled just like that. I like technology and I don’t want to go back 500 years, but the main foundation for prosperity is people limiting themselves to a number of children that is reasonable given current circumstances, i.e., not breeding to the physical maximum like rodents.
如今印度普通人的物質(zhì)生活水平遠低于中世紀(jì)晚期的英格蘭。西方500年的科技進步就這樣被抵消了。我熱愛技術(shù)，也不想倒退500年，但繁榮的根本在于人們根據(jù)現(xiàn)實條件合理控制生育數(shù)量——而非像嚙齒動物那樣繁殖到生理極限。
But globalist oligarchs like Elon Musk (‘Joiler Veppers’) want mass poverty, more than anything else, and they have propagandized over and over that people simply MUST breed like cattle (or be replaced if they are so thoughtless as to restring themselves) so Elon Musk and his ilk can get even richer at the expense of the rest of us getting slowly crushed in the mud.
但像埃隆·馬斯克（“喬伊勒·維珀斯”）這樣的全球主義寡頭最渴望大眾貧困，他們不斷宣揚“人類必須像牲畜一樣繁殖”（否則就會被“不思繁衍”的人取代），好讓他們能在我們深陷泥沼時變得更富有。
Ernesto Che says:
Another 1st for China, already 200 yards ahead on a 400 yard sprint while the U.S. is still at the starting blocks debating on how to get going.
中國再奪第一，在400碼沖刺中已領(lǐng)先200碼，而美國還在起跑線上爭論如何起步。
littlereddot says:
Thanks, these two developments really are a big deal. They are foundational advances that will impact all industries and all manufacturing and how all of humankind live our lives. The are promising limitless clean energy forever. One will be available imminently, and the other in a matter of decades.
感謝分享，這兩項進展確實意義重大。它們是影響所有產(chǎn)業(yè)、制造業(yè)和人類生活方式的根本性突破，將帶來永恒的清潔無限能源。一項即將實現(xiàn)，另一項也只需數(shù)十年。
IMHO they are will be even more impactful than China’s EV advances, high speed rail, Chinese space stations etc.
在我看來，它們比中國的電動汽車、高鐵和空間站等成就影響更深遠。
There is hardly a squeak coming from Western MSM, and consequently none of the MAGA folks seem to even realise that these things are taking place.
西方主流媒體幾乎毫無聲息，因此MAGA群體似乎根本不知道這些正在發(fā)生的事。
Joe Paluka says:
When Trump heard that China was developing a salt based reactor, he decided to impose a Mortons embargo on China and all countries that trade in that commodity with her.
當(dāng)特朗普聽說中國在研發(fā)鹽基反應(yīng)堆時，他決定對中國及所有與之貿(mào)易的國家實施莫頓鹽業(yè)禁運。
notbe mk 2 says:
it provides energy independence for the world (especially the Third World)-most of the world’s oil and natural gas comes from US-controlled Saudi Arabia and most of the world’s uranium comes from US-controlled Canada and Australia. Thorium is quite abundant in the Third World.
這將讓世界（尤其是第三世界）實現(xiàn)能源獨立——全球大部分石油天然氣來自美國控制的沙特，鈾礦則來自美控加拿大和澳大利亞，而釷在第三世界儲量豐富。
Henry Ford says:
The world needs an earth shaking advancement like this. I hope and pray the Chinese don’t fall into the trap white society do when they reach the top and put all their efforts to subjugating the rest of the planet with military means. The world needs a new advance age ! Hopefully China will be different.
世界需要這樣的震撼性進步。我祈禱中國登上頂峰后不會像白人社會那樣沉迷于用軍事手段征服全球。世界需要新的進步時代！希望中國能有所不同。
dogbumbreath says:
Too bad there are so many racists out there thumping their chest proclaiming, “my race is the best race and your race is barbaric”. Imagine what can be accomplished if everybody was simply Human and the smartest humans worked together for the benefit of humanity?
可悲的是太多種族主義者捶胸叫囂“我的種族最優(yōu)越，你們的種族是野蠻人”。試想如果所有人都以“人類”自居，讓最聰明的人為人類福祉合作，能成就什么？
mulga mumblebrain says:
This CANNOT be true! ONLY White men have brains that can innovate! The ChiComms must have stolen all this!
這絕不可能是真的！只有白人才有創(chuàng)新頭腦！中國肯定偷了技術(shù)！
Beautiful Evidence says:
I was in graduate school in science in the early 80s and we had several Chinese postdoctoral students with us then. My impression was though they were talented scientists individually, I thought that China would have little chance of catching the research strength of the US. Reading this article has shattered that impression. Science research chases funding so we end up with war profiteering and big Pharma duplicity instead of science that changes the energy/power supply of the world.
80年代初我在理科研究生院時，身邊有多位中國博士后。盡管他們個人能力出色，但我當(dāng)時認(rèn)為中國難以追趕美國科研實力。這篇文章顛覆了我的認(rèn)知?？蒲凶分鹳Y金，導(dǎo)致我們只剩戰(zhàn)爭暴利和制藥欺詐，而非改變世界能源格局的科學(xué)。
anonymous[145] · Disclaimer says:
20 years ago an Indian weapons scientist was able to completely change America by inventing a better way to produce fentanyl. Relatively small innovations can also change the world.
20年前一位印度武器科學(xué)家通過改進芬太尼合成方法徹底改變了美國。相對微小的創(chuàng)新也能改變世界。
KaiserSauze says:
“You need to have strategic stamina, focusing on doing just one thing for 20, 30 years.””
“你需要戰(zhàn)略定力，專注于一件事20年、30年?！?nbsp;
The US are run by idiots who come from the corporate world and their “strategies” cover the next quarter or a year at max. No wonder it’s falling down so dramatically.
美國由企業(yè)界的蠢貨掌管，他們的“戰(zhàn)略”最多覆蓋下一季度或一年。難怪衰敗得如此劇烈。
They also elect puppets like Biden and comedians like Trump to run a large nuclear power.
他們還選舉拜登這樣的傀儡和特朗普這類小丑來管理核大國。
No wonder we have all these wars, regime changes, GENOCIDEs and calamities.
難怪我們會有這么多戰(zhàn)爭、政權(quán)更迭、種族滅絕和災(zāi)難。
Andreas says:
Many of you are like a fish completely unaware of the water within which it is swimming.
你們許多人就像完全意識不到周遭環(huán)境的魚。
Don’t be a statistic, friends.
別成為統(tǒng)計數(shù)字，朋友們。
ghali says:
Incredible! Russia and the U.S. have been working on nuclear research for over 50 years, producing top-quality nuclear bombs and thousands of missiles. However, despite their collaboration, they have not made significant advancements in ensuring the safe use of nuclear energy, particularly in terms of environmental impact. In contrast, China has quietly made progress in nuclear technology without boasting about being a nuclear “giant.” China has developed a commercially viable thorium nuclear reactor, which could be part of China’s future energy mix in a relatively short period of time – an achievement that Russia and the U.S. have not accomplished in over 50 years.
難以置信！俄美開展核研究超50年，造出頂級核彈和數(shù)千導(dǎo)彈，卻未在核能安全利用（尤其環(huán)保方面）取得重大進展。而中國默默研發(fā)核技術(shù)，不吹噓“核巨頭”名號，已開發(fā)出商業(yè)可行的釷反應(yīng)堆，短期內(nèi)即可納入能源結(jié)構(gòu)——這是俄美半個多世紀(jì)都未達成的成就。
Hulkamania says:
The USA had the opportunity to develop nuclear power further, but chose to hamstring energy technology instead, in order to preserve energy monopolies and the hegemony of American oligarchs.
美國本可進一步發(fā)展核能，卻為維護能源壟斷和寡頭霸權(quán)選擇扼殺技術(shù)。
The USA was born as a slave state, created by pirates, conmen, and Jews. It may wander slightly from this path from time to time, but it always ends up going back to its default settings before long.
美國生來就是由海盜、騙子和猶太人建立的奴隸制國家。它或會短暫偏離此道，但總會回歸本性。
maskazer says:
As a responsible nation with over 5,000 years of history, many of China’s scientific achievements are designed to benefit the broader world on a long-term basis. This stands in contrast to the West, where such advancements have often been used to exert monopolies and control over others—a pattern seen since their rise to dominance.
作為有5000年歷史的負(fù)責(zé)任國家，中國的科技成就多旨在長期惠及世界。這與西方形成鮮明對比——后者自崛起以來就慣用技術(shù)進步實施壟斷與控制。
For example, we’ve read in the news about Chinese scientists developing a massive nuclear-bomb-type ordnance, but without radioactive fallout. Such an invention could permanently alter the trajectory of bellicose plans by Western warmongers, offering a new approach to global security that prioritizes humanity over destruction.
例如，新聞提到中國科學(xué)家正在研發(fā)無放射性沉降的“類核彈”武器。這種發(fā)明可能永久改變西方好戰(zhàn)者的侵略計劃，提供一種以人類福祉而非毀滅為先的全球安全新路徑。