Detroit-area teen builds nuclear fusion reactor

We've heard of plenty of DIY projects, ranging from an MP3 player to a Wacom tablet, but a kid building a small nuclear fusion device in his parents' basement? That's something special. Thiago Olson, a 17-year-old from Oakland Township, outside Detroit, has just completed a 1,000-hour (that's over 40 days worth, but he spread it out over two years) project to build a small-scale nuclear fusion reactor. How does it work? The short of it is that Olson takes a vacuum chamber, fills it with deuterium gas and then jolts it up with 40,000 volts, which creates a very small amount of nuclear fusion. That sounds easy enough -- but now the question is, can young Dr. Strangelove hook up his reactor to the house so he can pay his parents' electrical bill?

[Via MAKE: Blog, photo courtesy Detroit Free Press]

[Matt @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:21PM]

two words: bloody hell

[jimson @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:21PM]

Ah but the real question, how economical would it be for him to make his electricity, by using a device that requires 40 000 Volts of power at a time ...

[Hugh Jass @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:06PM]

Volts is not an amount of power used. Think of volts as being the "pressure" and amps as being the "quantity". You can build a transformer to convert low-voltage, high-amperage power to high-voltage, low-amperage power, and vice versa.

[Chris Benyayer @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:24PM]

What if it Blows UP, is it not dangerous???

[Earl @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:03PM]

This thing won't explode at all. Such a small scale fusion reaction, (not trying to put the guy down AT ALL) is not new. This is not the fission reaction from a nuclear bomb, nothing is radioactive in fusion. The "Golden Grail" of fusion is a "sustained fusion reaction." Much like our Sun, we would have a radioactive free and unlimited fuel power plant.

Now that will guarantee you a Noble Prize.

Anyway, I still say that is pretty f***ing cool!!
If anything, building your own project is a teaching tool by itself. I wish I would have built one now.

[Pete @ Mar 7th 2008 8:45PM]

Dear Earl, are you saying the sun does not produce radiation?

[Steve Packard @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:27PM]

*YAWN* AGAIN *YAWN* NO YOU CANT PAY YOUR ELECTRIC BILL WITH THIS. (sorry for shouting)

I built one of these a few years ago, and then took it apart later. Never got a major neutron count, but that's probably because I didn't use a good diffusion pump. Or because I made my own deuterium (from heavy water).


Hence...I am not one of the 18 listed... you gotta make some neutrons to qualify. It could also be that I didn't have a very good neutron detector. (an old eberline one).

I kinda regreat taking it apart now... especially considering I didn't rebuild a new one like I said I would...

Yes...it's an electrostatic confinement fusion reactor. The most common variation is called a "Farnsworth Fusor" Yes it works. It's easier to build than one might expect. It's not that easy...harder than a tesla coil, but a lot easier than a homebuilt aircraft. It's been around since the 1950's.

Oh also...It can't be used to power anything. No sorry...it's inherently not capable of producing a surplus of energy. If you can find a fusion reactor this simple that produces surplus energy....well then there's some guys in Oslo who have a prize for you.

Not to put the kid down though...it is a lot of fun to get involved in amateur science stuff, and it is beyond the capabilities of most people.

It actually does have a practicle use...that being as a neutron source. it doesn't produce much in the way of neutrons, but it's probably more practicle for certain situations than the alternative (an Am-Be or Cf-252 source).

Actually you should check out fusor.net

[gemini @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:46PM]

isn't is sort of incredible steve packard could create a nuclear fusion reactor but couldn't spell "practical" right?

[Alex C @ Nov 25th 2006 6:13AM]

Stockholm, not Oslo, close though!

[Neebs @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:32PM]

I for one welcome our new fusion reactor owning teenage overlords.

[S.A. @ Nov 24th 2006 2:55AM]

Why does someone always have to say something like this. It is annoying and very homosexual-like.

[Parijat @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:32PM]

This kid needs some UN sanctions imposed on him, just like Iran and North Korea.

[Adam @ Apr 1st 2009 9:36PM]

Hahaha, that made me lawl pretty good. Thank you!

[gdwarf @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:42PM]

I'm fairly certain that you put in more energy then you get out in one of those things, so no lowering the electric bill for a while.

[Chris Benyayer @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:50PM]

Would someone be able to say whats the worst that could happen, i.e. worst case senario, with this sort of scale energy. Big explosion or a little bit of heat???

[Jimmie @ Nov 23rd 2006 7:53PM]

Old news. Big deal, there's tons of info about these and many high schoolers build them. Why's this guy getting all this publicity?

[Evan @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:20PM]

Detroit + the word nuclear = impending disaster

[Samantha @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:32PM]

this guy is pretty cute

[Mr. Pibbles @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:43PM]

It's a neat project. Though, I really don't get why this is getting such huge publicity. Fusors are very neat to build, but not exactly "omigod science project of the year!". What's nice to see is the guy put in 1,000 man hours over two years to build his project. Just in case anyone out there is completely in the dark about fusion, it's incredibly, incredibly improbable that you'll be able to build a surplus-energy fusion reactor out of easy-to-come-by parts in the near future. Unless you happen to be a major government. And know more about the science than the folks working on ITER...

Also, I wouldn't lump him with the kid who made the breeder reactor, for one major reason. It's a stupid, stupid thing to do. Not lacking in intelligence, but lacking in common sense. Playing with radioactive materials in appreciable quantities is not a good idea. Remember, it only takes 750 grams of Americium for critical mass - always nice to have a fission reaction start in your sock drawer.

[Corey @ Nov 24th 2006 1:10AM]

Well, then I guess it's just grand that he A) isn't using Americium, B) doesn't have 750 grams of Americium, C) isn't doing this in his sock drawer, D) probably has much more knowledge of working with radioactive materials than your whole family.

Some people, like you, are called trolls.

[nicholas @ Nov 24th 2006 3:08AM]

surely you need at least 9kg of Americium?

[matt @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:45PM]

Old news and its not like its going to explode if you do it on a small scale. Think the government would allow him to do that if it could blow up his city?

[Evan @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:52PM]

Read "The Radioactive Boyscout." Same thing, but scarier and with a breeder reactor. What's with Detroit and crazy, nuclear-obsessed teenagers? I mean, I'm a teen and haven't (yet) built a reactor....

[Jitty @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:54PM]

Isn't fusion like this irrelivant because:

1) It takes more energy than it gives off
2) It's hard/impossible to create a sustained, especially large scale, reaction of this kind?

[Abe @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:06PM]

Old news, know someone who has done this in my school. In fact, theres probably a kid in every high school in America thats done this, all it requires is patience, a few thousand dollars, and some standard DIY know-how.

[mitch @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:06PM]

Isn't there some kind of law against kids having nuclear reactors? Not that this sounds too dangerous, but still...Kind of scary someone can do something like this.

[Mike10010100 @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:17PM]

The idea here is not that this kind of reactor can't put out much energy, but rather that maybe by modifying it a little bit, the kid can make something usefull out of it, maybe the next small-scale fusion....

Just something for you to think about.

[Canadian_Bacon @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:18PM]

Wouldnt it be hot fusion or something? Its cold fusion that we're really up in arms about right? I dunno, my dad used to ramble like nuts about this stuff.

[Michael Magness @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:30PM]

Thats nice sweetie but guests are coming over soon. Can you move the atomic pile of the shag pile please?

[Rick @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:04PM]

ohh thats swell, some nuke-enabled, pimple growing bubble gum chewer has a WMD. What happens if he listens to Nirvana on his Ipod and develop the inevitable "angst"? Detroit glows.. hmm, not that terrible I guess.

[Chris Chance @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:05PM]

NO THEY CANT

The fusion reactor used for this is inherintly extremely inefficient, it's really fusion but it is not over unity as electric company generators are... its a cool project but its not enough to "power his parents house" though it'd be cool to see him try to build one that would be capable of it but the dutreium way he is using as i said is not overunity look it up

[matt @ Nov 23rd 2006 11:29PM]

You guys realize only 20 "amateurs" in the history of man have made this? That is why it is such a big deal.

[matt @ Nov 23rd 2006 11:29PM]

You guys don't understand, this is energy. If someone unlocks the secret of fusion, then it can replace our need for oil.

[Steve Packard @ Nov 23rd 2006 11:37PM]

What is the worst case:

Blows up like an h-bomb? No. Well, not in the sense of an H-bomb. It can't create nearly a large enough reaction to trigger large scale fusion.

Neutron Irradiation? If you sit next to it for a few years...then you might be able to get a bad dose. Actually...if it's a really big Fusor and it runs for a few hours, then maybe something noticeable....but I would doubt it.

X-ray Irridiation? Possible that it could produce x-rays if designed improperly, but so can a CRT projector. Not a major concern, but possible, so keep a geieger counter handy.

Create nasty radioactive stuff? No. Well...maybe in a few (hundred) years you could breed some tritium or something.

Blow up (little explosion)? Possible, because deuterium (hydrogen) is flammable. But unlikely unless you're real careless. In any case...no more dangerous than a gas grill. Probably much less so.

Electrocution: Possible, as it is with toasters, but probably more so given the high voltage and arcing potential.

Implosion: Possible, due to deep vacuum. A violent implosion could be followed by fragmentation and therefore dangerous. Of course...this is true with any vacuum system.


Conclusion: No threat to national security.

However...Kudos to the kid. We need tinkerers...they make cool stuff and whatnot

[garrett @ Nov 24th 2006 12:07AM]

to the people who think it might explode nuclear fusion and fission are very very different a fusion reaction loses almost all its power if it is shutoff or if it becomes unstable then the reaction just stops. there are some cases where it might be different but in this type there is more danger of the 40kv than anything else.

[josh @ Nov 24th 2006 1:40AM]

"then I guess it's just grand that he A) isn't using Americium"

what, you mean like this guy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hahn

[Mr. Pibbles @ Nov 24th 2006 6:00PM]

Corey, you didn't read my post carefully enough. I was not saying that the person in the article was stupid - I was saying the kid who built a breeder in his backyard was stupid. I even specified, not in the sense of lacking in intelligence, but rather, in the sense of he contaminated a large area of his neighborhood, and is lucky he didn't get hurt.

Please read posts more carefully before you pass judgment upon their authors, lest you become the very troll that you yourself so seek to find.


In any case, we had a fusor erected last year. However, a fusor built in spare time by physics graduates and with professors assisting isn't considered an amateur production. I repeat: the guy deserves credit for the dedication, I'm sure it took him a lot of research and fine tuning to build this thing - it's a great example of doing something for the love of it.

[... @ Nov 24th 2006 1:48AM]

Umm, these things have been out for like 50 years, and have been built by many people... If you have a few thousand bucks (well, tens of thousands of bucks judging by that pic) you can build it. And no, you don't get nearly as much energy out as you put in. Not even close. And it doesn't even take any real knowledge to buit one, a little skill with HV, a bit more with a laith, and a lot of time is all that you really need. If I had 100 hours and enough money to buy a diffusion pump and all of the vacuum parts (I already have the hv supply) I would build one, but I don't have a real life that sucks up my money and time, so I haven't.

[matt @ Nov 24th 2006 10:12AM]

You are a fuggin moron! If you have no idea what you are talking about then don't talk! You don't even know how much any of that stuff costs so stop saying you do! You look at the picture and then judge how much it costs. Jesus, you are an idiot. You're saying it doesn't take knowledge to build one, yet you can not even spell "BUILD". Tell me, do you even know what the HV supply does?

[crypt @ Nov 24th 2006 6:12AM]

This guy is a right up there with the boyscout who created that breeder reactor in the 1990's . Science project, I salute you

[FrankTheCrank @ Nov 24th 2006 9:41AM]

Good to know some 17 year olds are using their brains and not sleeping out at some retail chain for a stupid videogame system. You f*cking retards!

HAHAHAHA!!!

[Marty @ Nov 24th 2006 10:10AM]

This article fails to mention that he accomplished this with his dad's help -- a scientist.

This kid is no genius, his dad is probably just trying to get him a scholarship.

[Chris Turek @ Nov 24th 2006 1:00PM]

Some people are just incredible. How can you bash this kid. The reason we have electric light, computers, airplanes etc are because people like this young man. He should be commended because he did something that very few people of any age have ever done and he did it as a teenager. I was happy to get to 3rd base when I was his age. Thiago, if you read this I hope you know some of us are very impressed by what you did and hope you never stop. You clearly have a gift that you are using to better yourself and mankind. Good for you please keep up the good work. Hopefully you will figure out a way to lower my fuel bills someday.

[Matt T. @ Nov 24th 2006 3:58PM]

I could most likely pull this off if you gave me the equipment and loads of time. I have neither thought.


I am also surprised he hasn't been arrest, I'm pretty sure you can't mess with nuclear energy without a license.

[storbot @ Nov 24th 2006 5:08PM]

I sense a lot of envy in you lot!

[Tuan Duong @ Nov 25th 2006 3:08PM]

Some sciencists have replaced the cumbersome and power consuming HV generator of the experiment with a tiny crystal. The technique promised to make a handheld X-ray device possible. When I heard about this teenager creates fusion reactor, I thought he's doing it with crystal.
http://www.economist.com/science/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3909490

[aStopperBy @ Nov 27th 2006 3:27PM]

Hahaha--I read "The Radioactive Boy Scout"--not the best book, but a d@mn good story. The EPA had to come in an back away the gardening shed into sealed drums 'cause it was so radioactive.