Fusion

Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur

Isaac Arthur

Science, Futurism, Sci Fi, Future, Scifi, Technology, Space, Engineering

4.8 • 739 Ratings

🗓️ 8 August 2019

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Nuclear Fusion holds the potential to free us of so many of the constraints offered by everything from fossil fuels to renewable energy option like wind and solar, if we can just get it working. Today we'll look at the challenges facing us in terms of the physics and engineering, the various possible reactors like the Tokamak, Poylwell, NFI, and more, and see what a bright future fusion might offers us. Watch the Video Version: https://youtu.be/ChTJHEdf6yM Start listening with a 30-day Audible trial and your first audiobook plus two Audible Originals are free. Visit http://www.audible.com/isaac or text "ISAAC" to 500-500. Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthur SFIA Merchandise available: https://www.signil.com/sfia/ Social Media: Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content. SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShE Credits: Fusion: Powering a Brighter Future Episode 198, Season 5 E33 Written by: Isaac Arthur Editors Darius Said Evan Schultheis Jerry Guern Keith Blockus S Graham https://beyondnerva.wordpress.com S. Kopperud Cover Art: Jakub Grygier https://www.artstation.com/jakub_grygier Graphics by: Bryan Verteeg http://spacehabs.com Fishy Tree https://www.deviantart.com/fishytree/ Jeremy Jozwik https://www.artstation.com/zeuxis_of_losdiajana Ken York https://www.facebook.com/YDVisual/ Sergio Botero https://www.artstation.com/sboterod?fref=gc Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur Music Manager: Luca DeRosa - [email protected] Music: Paradox Interactive, "The Titan" https://www.paradoxplaza.com Reign Pagaran, "Columbia's Sails" Paradox Interactive, "Abyss" https://www.paradoxplaza.com Kai Engel, "Soli" https://www.kai-engel.com/ Markus Junnikkala, "Always Tell Me The Odds" https://www.markusjunnikkala.com/ Chris Zabriskie, "Mario Bava Sleeps In a Little Later Than He Expected To" & "Cylinder Nine" http://chriszabriskie.com Evan King, "The Outer Rim" https://evanking.bandcamp.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello, SFIA audio listeners, in this month's Nebula exclusive, Big Alien Theory,
0:05.0	we're asking the reason alien civilizations might be rare is because most aliens are huge.
0:10.0	To hear it and every episode early and add free, plus hours of bonus content, check
0:15.0	out go.nebola.tv slash Isaac Arthur and use my code, Isaac Arthur.
0:20.0	This episode is sponsored by Audible.
0:23.7	Ever since humans figured out that the sun is powered by hydrogen fusion, we've imagined
0:28.9	controlling the process and powering our civilization with miniature suns.
0:34.2	But as it turns out, the sun is highly impractical and we're going to need to design
0:39.6	something a lot better.
0:41.8	So today we are looking at fusion power, how it might work, what's holding up this technology,
0:56.2	and what cool new options it opens up for our civilization.
1:00.8	Many of these possibilities are less obvious than simply cheap electricity or fast spaceships,
1:06.5	but just as important.
1:08.5	This is a topic we mentioned in passing a lot on this channel as a keystone
1:12.8	for many of our future technologies and pathways, so as we progress I'll pop up the cover art
1:18.6	for the relevant episodes. I thought we should start by addressing the challenges with achieving
1:24.0	a working fusion reactor. There is an overused saying that makes me scow whenever I hear it, that fusion is the technology
1:32.5	of 20 years from now, and always will be.
1:36.6	Fusion, as a serious concept, is a lot newer than many of our other power sources, and
1:41.8	has progressed neither particularly faster nor slower than most
1:45.7	of them.
1:46.7	Just as an example, solar power, itself an example of harnessing fusion from the sun, has
	...

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