How Thermonuclear fusion works, free energy without waste (hackerhotel2025)

Nuclear fusion is a clean safe energy. Fusing hydrogen nuclei to release an enormous amount of energy. This talk will cover: - A recap of the physics that makes fusion work - How to build a fusion reactor at home - How nuclei collide and what is needed to the coulomb barrier - Challenges in how to scale it up and make it generate more power - How far are we to have fusion energy on the power grid - Current technical challenges in fusion - How we can solve problems using machine learning Nuclear fusion promises a clean, safe, and abundant source of energy by fusing hydrogen isotopes to release more power than is put in. In this talk, we will start by clarifying the fundamental physics of fusion—how overcoming the Coulomb barrier allows two hydrogen nuclei to fuse. We will then explore the path to industrial-scale fusion power, focusing on international prototypes such as ITER, designed to demonstrate an energy output of Q=10 (50 MW in, 500 MW out). Alongside the incredible engineering achievements involved in building such large machines, we will discuss the complexities of controlling high-temperature plasmas, mitigating disruptions, and managing edge-localized modes (ELMs). Throughout the talk, we will highlight novel control and diagnostic strategies, including machine-learning-based models that can aid real-time plasma monitoring and regulation. Ultimately, we will address how these technologies, with deeper physical understanding, can bring us closer to fusion’s full potential as a reliable and low-waste energy source. Licensed to the public under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 about this event: https://pretalx.hackerhotel.nl/2025/talk/YJZ9KL/