The Moonshot Podcast Episode 8: Powering Up
Apr 28, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Matt Forkin, a hardware engineer leading the transformative Blixt fusion moonshot, explores the challenges of achieving controlled nuclear fusion. Page Crahan, General Manager of Tapestry, shares insights on modernizing the electric grid using AI to enhance efficiency and sustainability. They dive into innovative energy solutions inspired by nature, the quest for fusion energy, and the importance of strategic partnerships. It’s a riveting look at how bold ideas can tackle the world’s pressing energy challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Building a Fusion Experiment
- Matt Forkin and his team built a fusion experiment using a frozen hydrogen wire and a huge electrical pulse.
- They tested a decades-old fusion mystery inspired by a lightning phenomenon to explore new energy production.
Energy Storage Like Fireflies
- Storing energy chemically like fireflies glow could enable 90% efficient energy conversion.
- The challenge was finding a molecule that stores and releases light efficiently under needed conditions.
The Fusion Challenge
- Nuclear fusion powers the stars by squeezing hydrogen atoms into helium, releasing energy from mass loss.
- Fusion is much harder to achieve on Earth due to repulsive forces between atoms.