In this episode of the ITER podcast, we meet the “guardian of fusion” – the extraordinary blanket system that shields our star‑in‑a‑bottle. Guided by warrior‑and‑dragon imagery inspired by Chinese legend, and some very down‑to‑earth engineering, podcast hosts Kruti Fayot and Julia Ponomareva explore how ITER’s blanket and tungsten first wall protect the machine, tame furious neutrons, and quietly turn a raging plasma into something as familiar as hot water in a kettle.

Mechanical engineer Jinke Fu introduces Nezha, a mythical Chinese rebel‑guardian, while ITER experts Ryan Hunt, Sophie Carpentier, and Silvia di Sarra reveal how real‑world guardians are built: from armor‑like tungsten tiles and ultra‑precise assembly to world‑record plasma shots and global collaborations from EAST to WEST.

If you’ve ever wondered how you stop particles that could reach the Moon and back in seconds, or why choosing the “right” wall material is like choosing a life partner, this episode is for you—part myth, part cutting edge science, and a love letter to the star that started it all: the Sun.

This is Episode 5, Season 3 on "Behind the Science of ITER"

This episode, All About Nothing, takes you to a live conversation with ITER vacuum engineers Robert Pearce and Liam Worth.

Julia Ponomareva joins host Kruti Mawani Fayot to learn how science fiction has inspired real engineering, what the everyday engineering challenges surrounding plasma, inspection, vacuum systems and cryogenics are.

You’ll also hear about inspection, cleaning, coconuts (yes, really, coconuts), spin-off applications, and how lessons from past experiments are shaping ITER’s vacuum engineering and paving the way for future fusion machines.

Tune into Episode 5 of Behind the Science of Fusion for the good humor, insights and the peek behind the curtain of one of fusion’s most fascinating challenges.  

Ever wondered why and how scientists will recreate the power of a star on Earth?

In this episode of It's Magnetic of Season 3 "Behind the Science of Fusion" join host Kruti and fusion analyst Jack Moore as they unveil the magnetic magic behind ITER's fusion reactor. Discover how superconducting magnets creating fields 250,000 times stronger than the Earth's own magnetic field and can suspend plasma hotter than the sun in mid-vacuum—without touching anything. It's not one of David Copperfield's illusions; it's cutting-edge science.

From the "Princeton D" shaped coils to the royal central solenoid (she's our tokamak's empress), our expert speakers Christine Hoa, Simon McIntosh, Alexander Vostner, Vladimir Tronza and Laban Coblentz break down the invisible force field that will help humanity harness the power of the stars.

Whether you're curious about how these technological marvels work at temperatures colder than the dark side of the moon or what the future holds for low and high-temperature superconductors, "It's Magnetic" delivers fusion science that's both accessible and awe-inspiring.

Listen now on the ITER website as well as your favorite podcast platforms and glimpse the future of clean energy.

🎙️ At the heart of fusion energy lies one of the universe’s most untamed elements: plasma — a high-energy state of matter seen in lightning, the aurora, and most spectacularly, in our sun. Scientists have spent decades trying to control it. But why?

In this episode, host Kruti Fayot dives into the fascinating world of plasma: what it is, why it’s essential for fusion, how it’s being tamed inside machines like ITER, and the surprising role AI might play in the future of clean energy.

Featuring insights from ITER experts Javier Artola, Michael Walsh, and Alberto Loarte, with a special introduction by plasma physicist Melanie Windridge and fusion analyst Jack Moore.

🔥 If you’ve ever looked up at the Northern Lights or wondered how we’ll power the future — this one's for you.

🚀 Ever wondered how scientists are trying to recreate the power of the sun on Earth? In this latest episode, we dive into the fascinating world of tokamaks - donut-shaped magnetic cages that could be the key to unlimited clean energy! Join host Kruti as she unravels the mysteries of fusion with expert insights from ITER scientists and her collaborator Jack Moore, exploring how decades of research are bringing us closer to harnessing the same energy that powers stars. From tiny experimental devices to massive reactors, discover the incredible journey of fusion science and why tokamaks might just be humanity's most promising path to sustainable power.

Listen now! 🌞

Meet the ITER Spouses - five women & man from India, China, Korea, Belgium and the Netherlands who speak about their journeys of moving to the small Provençal towns in and around Manosque to support their spouses on this fantastic voyage into the ITER World.

From raising children, learning the ropes of living in Provence, rebuilding identities, and taking life into their own hands, this episode is perfect for other families who may move to ITER in the future, for other expats or for the simply curious. 

What do a 14 year old in the south of France, a robot competition, and a scientist at a pioneering nuclear fusion experiment have in common? 

The love for coding and human collaboration! In this episode, I follow middle and high schoolers to the annual competition in Provence known as ITER Robots, where about 500 students are competing to make the best robots ever - ones that mimic the challenges at ITER such as remote handling.

The bright youth share their journey, enthusiasm and their take on a potential future filled with AI and robots. Next, I speak with the co-organizer of the competition, Sophie Soufflet-Jacquis, following a warm-hearted finale of song and speech which wraps up the event in all its originality.