Fusion at the Foundry brings science and comedy together at CES

A standing-room session at CES’s Foundry paired fusion researchers Dr. Tammy Ma and Dr. Alex Creeley with comedians Randy and Jason Sklar to discuss recent fusion milestones and the technology’s long-term potential.

The LA Times Studios and Monks lounge hosted a session called "Hot Takes on Fusion" at CES’s Foundry, where scientists and comedians discussed developments in fusion energy. The panel drew a standing-room crowd and combined technical updates with humor and accessible explanation. Speakers included Dr. Tammy Ma of the Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology and Dr. Alex Creeley of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, alongside Randy and Jason Sklar. The discussion covered recent milestones and longer-term plans for commercial fusion. Key points: - The event was held at the Foundry during CES and attracted a full audience. - Panelists included Dr. Tammy Ma (Livermore Institute for Fusion Technology) and Dr. Alex Creeley (Commonwealth Fusion Systems), with Randy and Jason Sklar providing comedic commentary. - Dr. Ma referenced the National Ignition Facility's 2022 announcement of ignition, reported as producing more energy from the fusion plasma than was input to initiate it. - Dr. Ma stated that fusion fuel, partly derived from seawater, is abundant and spoke of large theoretical energy supplies and an example claim that a pound of fusion fuel could power a city the size of San Francisco for a day. - Dr. Creeley said Commonwealth Fusion Systems is building its Spark facility in Massachusetts now and plans a commercial plant called Arc in the early 2030s. - The Sklar brothers used humor and analogies to explain differences between fission and fusion and to make technical points more accessible. Summary: The session combined scientific updates with lighthearted explanation to make fusion topics more accessible to a general audience. Panelists noted a past ignition milestone and described active development work, including CFS building Spark now and planning Arc for the early 2030s. The broader aim discussed was to move toward commercial fusion capacity and the potential long-term implications of abundant low-carbon energy.