Fusion history lessons for our times
ORAL · Invited
Abstract
This tutorial talk is about the history of fusion. Not a nostalgic remembrance of the good old times, but the exploration of a rich database of successes, failures, and enthusiasm that points to progress in the future.
Fusion is experiencing a strong acceleration, with injection of private capitals, and with several new actors entering play. This talk presents examples of lessons we should learn from our past to accelerate even further. A bright future is built on the knowledge of the past: this avoids repeating mistakes, rediscovering known things, and puts achievements in the right perspective.
The tutorial - based on a course on Fusion History that I gave during the 2025 Spring Term at Columbia University - will focus on three topics: narrative, open collaboration, and scientific challenges.
Our narrative needs to be balanced between bold visions and realism. We experienced moments of hype at various stages of our history, sometimes driven by abandoning good practices of science. Those events lowered the credibility of our field. The progress of our science is such that today we are in a better position to understand the future evolution of our field and to communicate that our ambitions are based on solid results and not on promises.
Our history shows how effective have been collaboration and public research. The growing role of industry leads to increasing intellectual property protection, and this happens in a world where political tensions are growing. A retrospective view reminds us of the advantage of open collaboration.
I will review some challenges for achieving magnetic fusion energy. Some have been known for a long time. We made great progress, but there are no shortcuts to avoid robust R&D. We can be fast, and we need to be solid.
Fusion will reach key milestones: they will attract more resources and further accelerate our path. But, as in the 50’s a bunch of neutrons was not the final solution, today a visionary path should never forget that the best of our science and collaboration is needed for the goal of fusion energy.
Acknowledgments: the author thanks Applied Physics Applied Math Dept. of Columbia University and its fusion group for the hospitality and the inspiring discussions.
Fusion is experiencing a strong acceleration, with injection of private capitals, and with several new actors entering play. This talk presents examples of lessons we should learn from our past to accelerate even further. A bright future is built on the knowledge of the past: this avoids repeating mistakes, rediscovering known things, and puts achievements in the right perspective.
The tutorial - based on a course on Fusion History that I gave during the 2025 Spring Term at Columbia University - will focus on three topics: narrative, open collaboration, and scientific challenges.
Our narrative needs to be balanced between bold visions and realism. We experienced moments of hype at various stages of our history, sometimes driven by abandoning good practices of science. Those events lowered the credibility of our field. The progress of our science is such that today we are in a better position to understand the future evolution of our field and to communicate that our ambitions are based on solid results and not on promises.
Our history shows how effective have been collaboration and public research. The growing role of industry leads to increasing intellectual property protection, and this happens in a world where political tensions are growing. A retrospective view reminds us of the advantage of open collaboration.
I will review some challenges for achieving magnetic fusion energy. Some have been known for a long time. We made great progress, but there are no shortcuts to avoid robust R&D. We can be fast, and we need to be solid.
Fusion will reach key milestones: they will attract more resources and further accelerate our path. But, as in the 50’s a bunch of neutrons was not the final solution, today a visionary path should never forget that the best of our science and collaboration is needed for the goal of fusion energy.
Acknowledgments: the author thanks Applied Physics Applied Math Dept. of Columbia University and its fusion group for the hospitality and the inspiring discussions.
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Presenters
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Piero Martin
University of Padova
Authors
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Piero Martin
University of Padova