China has officially unveiled the world’s first operational thorium-based nuclear reactor, marking a historic milestone in clean-energy engineering. Unlike conventional nuclear plants that rely on uranium fuel rods, this reactor uses thorium dissolved in molten salt, operating at lower pressure and with fundamentally different safety characteristics. Thorium reactors are designed so that meltdown scenarios are physically impossible. If the system overheats, the liquid fuel drains into a containm

China has officially unveiled the world’s first operational thorium-based nuclear reactor, marking a major breakthrough in next-generation nuclear energy. Unlike traditional nuclear reactors that rely on solid uranium fuel rods, this reactor uses thorium dissolved in molten salt, operating at low pressure and with fundamentally different safety characteristics. Thorium reactors are considered inherently safe. If overheating occurs, the liquid fuel automatically drains into a containment chamber