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Cambridge Heavy Industries has been quietly building a desktop…

The startup says its small laser-powered device is meant to supply fuel for the coming wave of fusion power plants; your desk lamp stays safe for now.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on The Five O'Clock
Published 4:31 PM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Photo: Xiang Gao, Yao Yang, Tao Zhang, Haiqing Liu, Guoqiang Li,… · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from The Five O'Clock at 4:31 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are TechCrunch's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Xiang Gao, Yao Yang, Tao Zhang, Haiqing Liu, Guoqiang Li,… · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Nuclear fusion — Photo: Xiang Gao, Yao Yang, Tao Zhang, Haiqing Liu, Guoqiang Li,… · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

First reported by TechCrunch: “Cambridge Heavy Industries has been quietly building a desktop fusion device”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 4:31 PM ET on The Five O'Clock, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

TechCrunchCambridge Heavy Industries has been quietly building a desktop fusion device

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA startup called Cambridge Heavy Industries is building a small, laser-powered fusion device, meant to help fuel the coming wave of fusion power plants.

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