12-year-old builds nuclear fusion reactor, hopes to set world record
Aiden McMillan, a 12-year-old from Dallas, built his own nuclear fusion reactor after starting the project at age eight.
He's now hoping to become the youngest person recognized by Guinness World Records for achieving nuclear fusion.
With two years of studying physics and support from Launchpad, a local non-profit, Aiden turned his curiosity into something pretty amazing.
Aiden's thoughts on the breakthrough
The journey wasn't easy—Aiden had to solve tough technical problems and ease his mom's safety worries.
The breakthrough came when his reactor produced neutrons, proving real fusion had happened.
For Aiden, this was an emotional win after four years of work.
He says he's driven by curiosity and believes fusion could play a key role in the future of energy, seeing this as just the start of his adventure in science.