MODEL RELEASED. Darren Garnier (born 1968), American physicist. Dr Garnier is holding a magnetic levitator, which uses an electromagnet (upper centre) to keep a permanent magnet (centre) suspended. An infrared beam measures its position so that the strength of the electromagnet can be changed. The principal behind this device is being used to contain spherical plasmas in nuclear fusion experiments at Columbia University, USA. Nuclear fusion is the joining (fusing) of light elements to form heavier elements, which releases large amounts of energy. It is hoped that fusion will be a clean, renewable energy source.