Nuclear Matinee: NASA Artificial Intelligence Unit on Fission vs. Fusion

February 28, 2014, 6:57PMANS Nuclear Cafe

Fans of the popular games Portal and Portal II will get a kick out of this one-or just fans of evil and corrupt artificial intelligences-or just fans of nuclear fission, fusion, and astronomy.

As part of the education and public outreach department of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, an A.I. system is brought online to manage the NASA servers-but unfortunately, and of course completely unexpectedly, it turns out to be mad with lust for power.

In the process of dealing with this highly entertaining, if evil, machine, brilliant computer technicians learn about the A.I. system's fusion and fission power cores and the basic science of the processes behind them-and even how old the light is that we see from the sun, among other interesting things.

Thanks to NASA Spitzer YouTube for this fine video.

nasa ai on fission and fusion 360x201


Related Articles

Hill staffers get a nonproliferation education

September 25, 2023, 7:01AMANS News

Class was back in session this spring when, after a hiatus, the American Nuclear Society hosted its third session of Nuclear Energy 101 in Washington, D.C., for congressional staffers. This...