Question: Is it possible to have an arc reactor as small as the one shown in Iron Man and if not, will it ever be?

Jamie Gallagher answered on 17 Jun 2011:

Hi Luke,

Well I’m the resident energy scientist I’ll step up to this one.

I’m trying to find something online that will tell me more about the actual device. It seems to be totally made up and there arent too many details.

Some people say it is powered by electromagnetism- this wouldnt work because it would not generate enough energy from just background electromagentic waves.

Another says nuclear- Would have to be no again for this one- if he had a powerful nuclear source so close to him he would die. The device is far too small to have enough shielding to protect him.

And what about anti-matter. When matter meets anitmatter there is anihilation of the particles- this releases HUGE amounts of energy but again his little device would have nowhere to store a little supply of anitmatter.

So I’m going to say no I’m afraid. The work I do means that some day we may be able to wear something like that though- it will absorbe our movements, heat, solar energy and electromagnetic waves then we can maybe help charge our phones. But we won’t be flying I’m afraid 🙁

We have an arc furnace in the lab- that is pretty huge- it creates a huge voltage which will jump from one electrode to another and make a huge spark