Let’s talk about a technology that could change our whole energy system, but so far hasn’t generated a single watt. In the season finale of TILclimate (Today I Learned Climate), Professor Dennis Whyte sits down with host Laur Hesse Fisher to talk about fusion energy.Dennis Whyte is the Director of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC), and a Hitachi America Professor of Engineering. As director of PSFC, Whyte has been a key enabler for the SPARC project, a compact, high-field, net fusion energy experiment. The core of the SPARC project, and many ideas for its development, have been conceived or advanced through Professor Whyte’s courses.Season two of TILclimate focuses on our global energy system, its relationship to climate change, and what our options are for keeping the lights on while creating a clean energy future. We're partnering with the MIT Energy Initiative, which will air longer interviews with each guest to take a deeper dive into these topics. Dive DeeperFor more episodes of TILclimate by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, visit: tilclimate.mit.eduFor related energy podcasts from the MIT Energy Initiative, visit: http://energy.mit.edu/podcast/For a MITEI podcast discussing fusion energy, visit: http://energy.mit.edu/podcast/game-changing-fusion/To learn more Professor Whyte’s SPARC project, a compact, high-field, net fusion energy experiment, visit: https://www.psfc.mit.edu/sparcWant to learn more about how fusion works in stars? Check out: https://sciencing.com/life-cycle-mediumsized-star-5490048.htmlFor information on the U.S. Department of Energy Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program, visit: https://science.osti.gov/fesIn the episode, Professor Whyte talks about plasma in fusion reactions. Wondering what exactly plasma is? Check out: https://www.livescience.com/54652-plasma.html CreditsLaur Hesse Fisher, Host and ProducerDavid Lishansky, Editor and ProducerJessie Hendricks, Graduate Student WriterAaron Krol, Contributing WriterSkyler Jones, Student Production AssistantMusic by Blue Dot SessionsArtwork by Aaron Krol Produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.