CORRECTION: The video incorrectly states that an 'extremely high voltage' is used to create the plasma. In fact the use of carbon fibres in this device decreases the required voltage to less than 50 volts.

In a plasma, electrons separate from atoms and create a soup of charged particles that can be extremely hot and bright. This is particularly useful for manufacturing certain types of high temperature materials — and for experimenting with new materials. But plasmas can be hard to control, and existing methods require specialist equipment. Now a new technique using carbon fibres has been shown to be able to create a stable plasma with a uniform temperature — and the researchers say their kit will be much easier to construct in physics labs around the world.

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