Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

OKIsItJustMe

(21,795 posts)
3. This is not some start-up run by dreamers
Mon Mar 16, 2026, 07:30 PM
Yesterday

This spin-off comes out of a half-century old research program at MIT.
https://www.psfc.mit.edu/about/



The PSFC's genesis
In the early 1970s, a collaboration between MIT’s Francis Bitter Magnet Lab (FBML) and a group of researchers in various MIT departments led to the first magnetic confinement tokamak experiment housed on campus, called Alcator. At the time, it was the highest field magnetic confinement device in the world. Success of that program and a growing national interest in fusion energy provided the initial impetus for the formation of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center (then called the Plasma Fusion Center).

Officially founded in 1976, the PSFC became a home for the plasma physics and fusion research conducted across MIT, in the FBML, and at the Research Lab for Electronics. Ever since, the Center has attracted leading experts from MIT and around the world to teach, conduct science, collaborate, and study.



It happened, because they believed they were ready to produce a commercial product. So, far things are progressing as planned:

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

Coming soon - "How US States Can Attract Herds Of Unicorns" hatrack Yesterday #1
This is not some start-up run by dreamers OKIsItJustMe Yesterday #3
Right. I would have said to the naysayer "Can't we have a little optimism?" FadedMullet Yesterday #4
Well, as optimistic as I am that we will have commercial fusion soon... OKIsItJustMe Yesterday #6
Given our new reality of server "farms" popping up everywhere, you're probably right. FadedMullet Yesterday #7
So, imagine we can snap our fingers and tomorrow have a fusion-powered grid OKIsItJustMe Yesterday #8
Jeez, where does the other half come from? I know it's not cow farts. FadedMullet 4 hrs ago #18
Well, actually, some does come from methane from cows, although they generally belch it out OKIsItJustMe 2 hrs ago #20
This is a press release, not proof of concept or a peer-reviewed scientific paper . . . hatrack 21 hrs ago #11
It's the 75th anniversary of the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. NNadir 21 hrs ago #12
And Edison made a coal burning plant in 1844 OKIsItJustMe 9 hrs ago #15
Really? Edison ran a coal plant in 1844, three years before his birth? NNadir 9 hrs ago #16
A Star in a Bottle: The Quest for Commercial Fusion OKIsItJustMe Yesterday #5
Energy as limitless abundance will outpace all other inputs bucolic_frolic Yesterday #2
Hmmm lonely bird Yesterday #9
The direct product of the fusion reaction is heat OKIsItJustMe 23 hrs ago #10
Sure lonely bird 11 hrs ago #13
The great breakthrough of this design OKIsItJustMe 9 hrs ago #14
How are they generating the hot plasma? lonely bird 5 hrs ago #17
Multiple methods are used to initially heat the plasma OKIsItJustMe 3 hrs ago #19
Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Environment & Energy»How U.S. states can attra...»Reply #3