Alex McColgan

speaker

29,301 appearances 104 recordings 1 series first heard Nov 2024 last heard 4d ago

Alex McColgan’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.

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recordings per month · last 12 months

Recordings per month over the last 12 months — 68 in all, peaking in Aug 2026 with 11.

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Astrum Space · What We Detected in the Strangest Quantum Experiments on Earth · 7 Sep 2026 podcast

Vitally, this means there is no neutral particle whizzing off out of the reactor carrying all the energy. voice-verified

Energy is retained within the plasma itself. voice-verified

As the reaction proceeds, the energy generates an increase in internal pressure and a change in magnetic field, which can be used to generate electricity directly. voice-verified

No Victorian steam turbines involved at all. voice-verified

So, what's the catch you might rightfully ask? voice-verified

Well, just like tritium, helium-3 is incredibly rare, and also has to be bred, this time from deuterium-deuterium reaction. voice-verified

and this process does generate those pesky reactor-damaging neutrons. voice-verified

One of Helion's proposed solutions is to separate the two reactions, having commercial plants that will use deuterium-helium-3 and feeder reactors specifically for generating helium-3 that have planned shorter lifespans. voice-verified

But there is another issue with deuterium-helium-3. voice-verified

This mixture requires much higher temperatures and fuel densities than conventional deuterium-tritium fuel. voice-verified

Huge pulses of electricity are needed each time the reactor fires to generate fusion conditions, which puts immense strain on electricity supplies and reactor components. voice-verified

It's a considerable engineering hurdle for helium to overcome as the company embarks on building its first commercial-scale reactor. voice-verified

But, CEO David Kirtley claims this plant will be online and supplying power to Microsoft data centers by 2028. voice-verified

Now, whether or not this comes to pass, only time will tell. voice-verified

However, even if none of these private ventures hit their well-publicized milestones, the fact that this investment exists at all reflects the moment the fusion sector finds itself in. voice-verified

With new algorithmic and AI tools now at their disposal, for many in the field, it does feel like fusion is finally inching closer to reality. voice-verified

And though unsolved scientific and engineering problems exist, regardless of the approach used, the diversity of fusion technologies that now exist is a huge bonus. voice-verified

So while we'll never be able to recreate a star on Earth, it is very possible that the one or even several of the approximations we are trying to build will play a pivotal role in the energy landscape of the future. voice-verified

I'll end by returning to Eddington and his 1920 musings on the energy-powering stars. voice-verified

A star is drawing on some vast reservoir of energy, by means unknown to us. voice-verified

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