"Farnsworth's Fusor" is very probably the most successful SMALL approach to a fusion reactor. THE big problem with a Farnsworth fusor is that the central electrode is made of metal, and at high reaction rates (lower than breakeven) is rapidly deteriorated by various sorts of heat/particle impact damage (even if made of tungsten). Bussard's innovation replaces that central charge source with a "non-material".
The "proof of concept" experiments have been successful and "peer-reviewed" and funding is now aimed at building larger reactors to determine scaling laws. A "Bussard polywell" should be far smaller than a magnetic confinement approach, small enough to be useful on ships and subs...hence the Navy's interest.
Trivia tidbit.....Philo T. Farnsworth was the guy who invented television.
It’s actually a dog poop joke.
Did you ever listen to the audio commentaries of the DVDs?
They are just as funny as the shows themselves!