In this episode of the ITER podcast, we meet the “guardian of fusion” – the extraordinary blanket system that shields our star‑in‑a‑bottle. Guided by warrior‑and‑dragon imagery inspired by Chinese legend, and some very down‑to‑earth engineering, podcast hosts Kruti Fayot and Julia Ponomareva explore how ITER’s blanket and tungsten first wall protect the machine, tame furious neutrons, and quietly turn a raging plasma into something as familiar as hot water in a kettle.
Mechanical engineer Jinke Fu introduces Nezha, a mythical Chinese rebel‑guardian, while ITER experts Ryan Hunt, Sophie Carpentier, and Silvia di Sarra reveal how real‑world guardians are built: from armor‑like tungsten tiles and ultra‑precise assembly to world‑record plasma shots and global collaborations from EAST to WEST.
If you’ve ever wondered how you stop particles that could reach the Moon and back in seconds, or why choosing the “right” wall material is like choosing a life partner, this episode is for you—part myth, part cutting edge science, and a love letter to the star that started it all: the Sun.
