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A New Path to Fusion: How Eric Lerner and LPPFusion Are Bringing Clean, Abundant Energy Within Reach

Eric Lerner’s LPPFusion Pursues Compact, Affordable Fusion With Crowdfunding, Bypassing the Obstacles of Traditional Nuclear Projects

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Devin: What is your superpower?

Eric: Scientific method.

Unlocking the secret to clean, limitless energy could transform the world’s economy, environment, and future. Eric Lerner, President and Chief Scientist at LPPFusion, is leading a team that is taking a radically different approach to nuclear fusion—one that could make abundant, safe energy a reality for all.

Unlike massive, billion-dollar fusion projects, LPPFusion focuses on a compact and cost-effective technology. Instead of using traditional deuterium-tritium fuel, which creates dangerous neutrons and requires enormous, expensive machinery, LPPFusion uses hydrogen and boron—both non-radioactive and plentiful. The result? As Eric Lerner explained in this episode of Superpowers for Good, “when they combine, they produce pure helium and no neutrons. And that means we can make the machine very compact, very small, very cheap, and we can convert the energy directly to electricity without using steam turbines and generators, which are very expensive.”

This technological shift is also about access. LPPFusion is raising capital through regulated investment crowdfunding, allowing everyday people—not just wealthy, accredited investors—to participate in the future of energy. As Eric shared, “through crowdfunding, we can reach lots of people. And we are reaching lots of people… we are using crowdfunding simply to reach a mass audience that has to know about this technology.”

LPPFusion’s approach is also unique in its embrace of nature’s own plasma instabilities, rather than fighting them. “Most people in the field try to suppress those instabilities… but we imitate nature… the machine we’re working with, plasma focus, uses those instabilities to compress and heat the plasma. And that also makes our path a lot easier,” Eric said.

Despite raising only a fraction of the capital of their larger competitors, Eric and his team have achieved the best scientific results among private fusion efforts. Their work is openly published, and the opportunity to learn more or even invest is available to all.

As the world seeks solutions to the global energy crisis, innovators like Eric Lerner and the LPPFusion team show that transformative ideas often come from smaller, more agile labs. Their work could redefine energy—and now, anyone can help make it happen.


tl;dr:

  1. Eric Lerner explains how LPPFusion is using hydrogen-boron fuel to pursue cleaner, safer fusion energy.

  2. Their approach leverages plasma instabilities, making fusion devices smaller, cheaper, and more efficient.

  3. LPPFusion raises funds through regulated investment crowdfunding, inviting broader public participation.

  4. Eric shares how scientific method and persistent teamwork drive progress, even with limited resources.

  5. The episode highlights the transformative potential of fusion energy and how anyone can get involved.


How to Develop Scientific Method As a Superpower

Eric’s superpower is the scientific method. He describes it as the power to “not only… predict the future, but to change the future.” It’s not merely a set of laboratory procedures, but a disciplined, collaborative way of learning “the truth about the universe, by the method of prediction and test against observations made subsequent to those predictions.” Eric credits mentors like Hannes Alfven for teaching him that the scientific method is about teamwork, persistent experimentation, and understanding the processes that create and sustain things—not just the things themselves.

Eric’s application of this superpower is best illustrated by his early work in astrophysics, which led him to fusion. As a young researcher, he noticed a regularity in cosmic structures and, guided by scientific curiosity and mentorship, he investigated the electromagnetic processes that might explain it. This search led him to the study of plasma filaments, a discovery that inspired the fusion device at the heart of LPPFusion. He and his team confirmed in the lab that these plasma filaments exist just as they do in the cosmos, validating his methodical, persistent approach and opening a new path for fusion energy.

Eric’s advice for cultivating this superpower includes:

  • Collaborate with others and learn from mentors

  • Embrace persistence—expect many failed experiments before success

  • Focus on understanding processes, not just end results

  • Rely on prediction and testing, not assumptions

  • Be transparent and open with your work

By following Eric’s example and advice, you can make the scientific method a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.

Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!


Guest Profile

Eric Lerner (he/him):

President and Chief Scientist, LPPFusion, Inc.

About LPPFusion, Inc.: LPPFusion is on a fast path to developing nuclear fusion generators that we predict will produce safe, clean, unlimited energy, far cheaper energy than any present-day energy source. We call our technology Focus Fusion. We predict it can solve our global environmental challenges and at the same time lift the standard of living for all.

Website: lppfusion.com

Biographical Information: A leading physicist in dense plasma focus research for 40 years. Eric developed an original model of the role of the quantum magnetic field effect and has pioneered in the application of astrophysical results to fusion energy research. He is also the author of the book "the Big Bang Never Happened" and has published many papers in peer-reviewed journals on both fusion energy and cosmology.


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