Junior Cafe Scientifique: Harnessing the power of the Sun
Talk Overview:
Fusion is the process of combining nuclei of atoms. In the core of the Sun, superheated, massively compressed hydrogen nuclei are fused together to make helium nuclei. This process heats our solar system, and is the ultimate source of nearly all energy on earth.
Scientists are now attempting to harness the power of the sun in laboratories on earth. These labs seek convert to convert pure matter energy into electrical energy for our grid. If achieved, fusion represents a next-generation energy technology, capable of using hydrogen gas, the most abundant element in the universe, to create usable energy.
This talk will overview the basics of fusion energy, discuss the difficulties of trying to harness fusion energy on earth, explore the different methods of producing fusion reactions laboratories are attempting today, and review the possibility for a fully-functioning fusion power plant in the coming decade.
Biography:
Craig Cahillane is an assistant professor of physics at Syracuse University. Cahillane got his PhD in experimental gravity working on the LIGO detectors, responsible for the first detection of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger in 2015. The LIGO detectors are 4 kilometer long laser interferometers, relying on precisely controlled mirrors and high-powered lasers to observe spacetime itself.
Now, Cahillane designs the next-generation gravitational-wave detector Cosmic Explorer, featuring 40-kilometer-long lasers. Additionally, he is pursuing research in enabling fusion technologies, using high powered lasers to neutralize reactor fuel for injection into magnetically-confined fusion plasmas.
Next TACNY Junior Café Scientifique:
October 17, 2026: Biomaterials