In this episode of the Lex Fridman Podcast, Lex interviews David Kirtley, a nuclear engineer and CEO of Helion Energy, about nuclear fusion and fission. They discuss the science behind both processes, including fuels, safety, waste, and the potential for fusion to provide clean, virtually unlimited energy. Kirtley explains different approaches to fusion, including Tokamaks, Stellarators, and Helion's pulsed magneto-inertial fusion, emphasizing the importance of rapid iteration and manufacturing in achieving commercial fusion. They also touch on the geopolitical implications of fusion energy, the role of AI in fusion research, and the timeline for the first working fusion power plant, as well as the potential for fusion to power data centers and enable deep space travel.
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