🔫 How a tiny startup is aiming for nuclear fusion glory

It’s all about railguns, not lasers. Plus: Drone defibrillators, bacterial memory, Fourier’s dancing robots. A tiny startup striving to ignite nuclear fusion reactions has an electrifying vision — power our world by firing railguns instead of lasers. Virginia-based NearStar Fusion believes it can harness modern railgun technology to achieve abundant green energy more efficiently than fusion dependent on lasers. With just a skeleton team and a bootstrapping mentality, NearStar is an underdog. But should their streamlined approach fire up fusion output exceeding input, they could pioneer the first commercially scalable reaction. This tech is a long way from complex [tokamaks]( — NearStar wants mechanics, not scientists, running fusion plants. Is this lean startup nuclear's Wright brothers moment? Find out in today’s [Must Read](. Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. Let’s fire it up! 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Must Read [💥 ‘Wright brothers moment': US startup aims to spark nuclear fusion using railguns]( A tiny Virginia startup called NearStar Fusion has a bold new approach to achieving the holy grail of energy. Rather than relying on inefficient lasers, they are aiming plasma railguns at hydrogen fuel to ignite the fusion reaction. This method promises to drastically reduce the energy input required, making fusion commercially viable for the first time if they succeed. NearStar builds on recent advances like the National Ignition Facility using lasers to spark fusion energy output. But reaching the break-even point where fusion output exceeds input remains elusive. By substituting railguns to generate the key plasma state cheaper, NearStar aims to clear that barrier. The company envisions fusion plants run by mechanics instead of scientists, once the technology matures. Backed by just a handful of staff, NearStar forecasts growth to 20 employees soon and profitability within five years. Its leaders believe all the components they need already exist thanks to modern railgun research — they just need to simplify the architecture. If achieved, this “[Wright brothers moment]( could transform global energy supply and end our dependence on fossil fuels. But first, NearStar needs its railgun recipe to cook up a fusion reaction showing commercial viability. [[Read More]( [Science]( [🦠Bacteria’s ‘iron memories’ allow cells to store and transfer information]( Remarkably, a new study found bacteria can retain “memories” of prior experiences via cellular iron levels and pass this information down to daughter cells. This discovery of molecular memory and intergenerational transfer in primitive organisms may light new paths to tackle antibiotic resistance. Dive deeper into bacteria’s unexpected capacity to adaptively “learn” from their environment. [[Read More]( [Health]( [🚁🚑 Drones with defibrillators are beating ambulances in cardiac arrests]( Despatching drones equipped with automated external defibrillators ahead of ambulances allows for faster response times that are saving cardiac arrest patients. Researchers found drones typically arrive several minutes before emergency vehicles, enabling defibrillation to start sooner when timing is critical. Explore this innovative use of UAVs to give medical crews a life-saving head start. [[Read More]( [Innovation]( [🤖💃 Fourier’s dancing humanoid robots showcase impressive skills]( A recent video shows off Fourier Intelligence’s GR-1 robots dancing with hip sways, arm waves and walking motions. Beyond a flair for entertainment, these humanoids can lift over 110 pounds (50 kilograms) to assist elderly patients thanks to their robust hip actuators. While still developing, this GR-1 showcase hints at future caregiver roles that combine physical assistance and emotional engagement. Click below to watch a video featuring these capable and charismatic humanoid robotics. [[Read More]( QUESTION OF THE DAY Can a five-person startup crack nuclear fusion with plasma railguns? [Absolutely, their approach is brilliant]( [It seems highly ambitious but I wish them luck]( [Stick to conventional science and keep trying]( [Not qualified to judge either way]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS AI safety should be Sam Altman’s priority as CEO at OpenAI, according to 43 percent of voters in yesterday’s poll. 43% A renewed focus on AI safety 39% Rebuilding trust and morale 12% Proving his critics wrong 5% Strengthening ties with Microsoft “Bacteria don't have brains, but they can gather information from their environment, and if they have encountered that environment frequently, they can store that information and quickly access it later for their benefit.” Souvik Bhattacharyya, University of Texas THE UNIQUE BOUTIQUE [Paw Patrol Kids Toys]( [$64.99]( [Digital Hand Mixer]( [$79.95]( [Blink Video Doorbell]( [$67.48]( [Sony Wireless Headphones]( [$38.00]( AND ANOTHER THING - [France tests submarine-launched M51, nuclear-capable ballistic missile]( - [Astrolab’s lunar rover gains traction with early customers]( - [This monster robot can scan, sort, stack walls in an eco-friendly way]( - [‘Lucid Gravity’ soars beyond expectations with a 440 mile range]( - [Tech captures and stores truck exhaust as liquid CO₂ to cut emissions]( - [How atomic clocks can help in the search for dark matter]( [premium] - [Researchers devised worlds' most efficient thermoelectric harvester]( - [Nut consumption linked to improved sperm quality in men, review finds]( - [Dwarf galaxies go through 10-million-year quiet phase to form stars]( - [This new hydrogel could cut daily diabetes shots to just three a year]( Need help with advertising? 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