Exploring Different Approaches in the Fusion Race

Welcome to the first episode of the first season of “Age of Miracles”. This new show from Packy McCormick, investor and writer of the Not Boring newsletter, asks the question: how do we create a future of abundance?

This season, we’re exploring the future of energy – specifically, diving deep into nuclear energy, both fission and fusion. The world needs more energy, not less, argues Packy, and nuclear has been neglected as a clean, reliable source of energy for too long. Joining Packy as co-host this season is Julia DeWahl, who previously helped scale SpaceX’s Starlink and Opendoor and is now co-founder of micro-nuclear reactor startup Antares. 

In this episode, Packy and Julia set the stage for the season. They start with how they each got nuke-pilled and how the global narrative on energy has shifted, following events like the war in Ukraine and growing inflation. Next, they bust the three most common myths about nuclear energy: it’s too unsafe, there’s too much nuclear waste, and nuclear energy = nuclear weapons. And then they set the stage for the real challenges we’ll tackle this season: the economics of nuclear power, regulation and the role of government, and the power of public perception. 

If you’re curious about the future of energy, technology, or how to get out of a doomer loop and start working towards an abundant future, join us. An age of miracles is within reach — if we're willing to work for it.

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SPONSORS: RIPPLING SPEND | WEIGHTS AND BIASES | GIVEWELL | ANROK

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GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. Visit https://www.givewell.org to find out more or make a donation. Select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to make sure they know you heard about them from us.

Anrok is the enterprise-grade solution that automates sales tax compliance worldwide. Visit https://www.anrok.com/turpentine to claim your free nexus study and take control of your SaaS tax strategy.

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A huge thank you to our presenting sponsors for Season 1:

Range Fund Holdings: Visit https://www.rangeetfs.com or contact your financial advisor to learn more about the Range Nuclear Renaissance ETF and start investing in the future of energy.

Secureframe: Get 10% off your first year of Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/packy

Pilot.com: Get 20% off your accounting bill for the first 6 months, go to https://pilot.com/packy

Clean Air Task Force https://www.catf.us/

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For the full list of resources referenced in this show: https://ageofmiraclesss.addpotion.com/

Subscribe to Not Boring to get weekly doses of tech and business strategy, straight to your inbox: https://www.notboring.co/

Timestamps:

(00:00) Why the world needs more energy

(06:43) Preview of this season of Age of Miracles

(10:03) Let's talk nuclear fission

(19:15) Busting common nuclear myths: disasters, waste, and proliferation

(30:22) The 201 challenges with nuclear energy

(36:21) Could all the energy in 2050 just be fusion?

(45:23) Closing thoughts

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.