ITER tokamak belongs to the Common Era — dated here to c. 2025 CE at Cadarache, France. Dates mark a scholarly centre of gravity (dedication, completion, or iconic phase), not a single foundation day.
The world’s largest fusion experiment — aiming to prove burning plasma at power-plant scale.
How it amazes the brain
A colossal vacuum vessel, superconducting magnets, and international parts arriving like a jigsaw.
Why it counts as a wonder
It never needed a contest ballot to scramble the brain: scale, craft, or sheer improbability is enough.
A wonder still being finished: the promise of star-fire in a doughnut.
On dating
CE means years after the traditional birth of Christ. A monument listed as c. 2025 CE may have been founded earlier, rebuilt later, or become famous only in one phase. Engineering wonders (dams, tunnels, orbiting labs) are dated to opening or assembly.
This is story 78 of 100 in The Trend Ledger’s illustrated desk on world wonders raised after the birth of Christ — the companions to our BCE series.