Energy for Tomorrow—MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center

At the heart of every star is a fusion reaction. This process combines small molecules like hydrogen to form larger, heavier ones like helium—and in doing so, releases an immense amount of energy in the form of heat and light. The MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) is working to harness fusion on Earth, with the goal of designing power plants that can emit zero carbon, operate safely, and are extremely power dense.

Achieving fusion is difficult because it only occurs when matter is in the form of plasma—a superheated, ionized gas. Without the gravitational strength of a star, MIT scientists rely on magnetic fields and other techniques to produce the reaction. During this MIT Alumni Forum, you’ll gain new insights into the science of fusion and the search for fusion power—and discover how MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center is leading the charge toward a new era of energy.