Memphis teen honored as youngest person ever to build nuclear reactor

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis city leaders honored a teenager who became the youngest person to ever build a nuclear reactor.

On Tuesday, the City Council recognized 14-year-old Jackson Oswalt with a resolution honoring the teen for his accomplishments.

“Not only did Jackson spend his 12th year assembling parts to create nuclear fusion at home, he developed this project through experimental trial and error, given no blueprints for nuclear fusion exist for pre-teens, let alone adults,” Chairman Kemp Conrad said. “Remarkable accomplishment, and beyond that feat, Jackson is establishing a fund to ensure imaginative youth scientists are not impeded by a lack of financial resources to fulfill their dreams.”

Oswalt was just 12 years old when he was able to achieve nuclear fusion. He built the device using vacuums, pumps and chambers he purchased on eBay.

Amateur physicists verified his findings.