Sun in a Bottle : The Strange History of Fusion and the Science of Wishful Thinking

With his knack for translating science into understandable, anecdotal prose and his trademark dry humor, award-winning science writer Charles Seife presents the first narrative account of the history of fusion for general readers in more than a decade. Tracing the story from its beginning into the twenty-first century, Sun in a Bottle reveals fusion’s explosive role in some of the biggest scientific scandals of all time. Throughout this journey, he introduces us to the daring geniuses, villains, and victims of fusion science. With the giant international fusion project ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) now under construction, it’s clear that the science of wishful thinking is as strong as ever. This book is our key to understanding why.

Charles Seife is an associate professor of journalism at New York University. He has written for Science magazine, New Scientist, Scientific American, The Sciences, Wired, The Economist, and many other publications. He lives in New York City.