14-Year-Old Builds a Fusion "Reactor" in His Home

Try to remember what you wanted or liked when you were 14. I bet generating a nuclear fusion reaction at home wasn't on your list, but that's exactly what Tennessee teen Jackson Oswalt did. What's even more impressive is that he completed his design at age 12, combining more than $10,000 worth of parts sourced from eBay to achieve deuterium fusion. While reasonable doubts remain, a group of hobbyists has verified Jackson's results, making him the youngest person in the world to achieve a nuclear reaction of this kind.

In 2008, most science portals couldn't stop talking about Taylor Wilson, who at just 14 had managed to produce a nuclear fusion reaction at home. Taylor's parents were terrified, but instead of blocking his interests, they encouraged them. He was received by President Obama, there's a book about him, and his latest ideas suggest the creation of a mini reactor based on depleted uranium that only needs to be refueled every 30 years. Back then, Taylor had been the youngest person to achieve nuclear fusion, but he recently ceded that title. A young man named Jackson Oswalt, now 14, reached deuterium fusion when he was 12.

I imagine some must wonder how he managed to build a Tokamak in his bedroom. Actually, Jackson followed the fusor route, a device capable of generating 50,000 volts, enough to heat two deuterium atoms, achieve fusion between them and obtain energy. Jackson spent the last two years perfecting his device's design, fixing errors or sealing leaks, which is why we heard about his results in recent days. Jason Hull, one of the administrators and moderators of the Open Source Fusor Research Consortium, highlighted Jackson's work, especially his financial effort. Not coincidentally: the entire project required more than $10,000 in parts, obtained through eBay.

Jackson's experiment only requires one more thing: a peer review. Someone with sufficient qualifications and a lot of experience should analyze the young man's numbers to confirm or deny whether he achieved deuterium fusion. Personally, I just hope Jackson receives all the support he needs. Other "nuclear genius kids" followed in his footsteps, and they didn't end very well…

Source: The Guardian