Record Z-pinch temperatures, MIT magnets, US bill, new plasma control, ITER equipment

Jasmine Mund, mechanical engineer, gives today's Fusion News update - summarizing the major recent headlines in fusion energy. Links to all of the stories mentioned are included below. 1. Record electron temperatures for a small-scale, sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch fusion device achieved https://phys.org/news/2024-04-electron-temperatures-small-scale-stabilized.html Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 155101 (2024) - Elevated Electron Temperature Coincident with Observed Fusion Reactions in a Sheared-Flow-Stabilized $Z$ Pinch https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.155101 2. MIT’s superconducting magnets are ready for fusion | MIT Technology Review https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/04/23/1090425/mits-superconducting-magnets-are-ready-for-fusion/ 3. U.S. lawmakers introduce bill aimed at accelerating nuclear fusion https://www.power-eng.com/nuclear/u-s-lawmakers-introduce-bill-aimed-at-accelerating-nuclear-fusion/#gref 4. Creating an island paradise in a fusion reactor https://phys.org/news/2024-04-island-paradise-fusion-reactor.html 5. Europe delivers equipment for ITER’s cold vacuum circuit - Fusion for Energy https://fusionforenergy.europa.eu/news/europe-delivers-equipment-for-iters-cold-vacuum-circuit/ Bonus: Q&A: Dr. Michael Ford on the Potential for Fusion-Powered Ships Sea Technology magazine (sea-technology.com) https://sea-technology.com/dr-michael-ford-princeton-plasma-physics-laboratory-interview-nuclear-fusion-ship-energy Energy Switch | Nuclear Fusion | Season 4 | Episode 1 | PBS https://www.pbs.org/video/nuclear-fusion-lgmexv/ The race to fusion energy: a geopolitical opportunity that encourages international collaboration. https://www.theconferencecorner.info/post/the-race-to-fusion-energy-a-geopolitical-opportunity-that-encourages-international-collaboration Building the cruise control of a nuclear fusion reactor | Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research https://www.differ.nl/news/phd-gijs-derks-2024 The Hope and Hype of Fusion Energy, Explained - Joseph Polidoro - The Dispatch https://thedispatch.com/article/the-hope-and-hype-of-fusion-energy-explained/ The EU blueprint for fusion energy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AY7807KGJI