12/23/2025
prá️ Nuno Filipe Gomes Loureiro (47) was a Portuguese theoretical physicist whose scientific work was closely linked to one of humanity's greatest desires: to develop a clean, safe and virtually unlimited source of energy. He graduated from the Higher Technical Institute of Lisbon and obtained his PhD from the Imperial College London, specializing in plasma physics.
In 2016 he joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a professor, where he developed the most influential part of his academic career. There he served functions in the departments of Physics and Nuclear Science and Engineering, and since 2024 he led the Plasma Science and Fusion Center, a key center in global nuclear fusion research.
Since his tenure at MIT he led teams dedicated to understanding and solving the fundamental problems that today prevent nuclear fusion from being an operational power source. Fusion seeks to reproduce on Earth the process that feeds the Sun, offering a carbon-emission-free energy source, abundant fuel and virtually unlimited potential.
His work was not limited to theory. He also coordinated international efforts and collaborations between universities, laboratories and experimental projects seeking to bring fusion from scientific realm to real-world applications. Therefore, his figure was seen as a bridge between fundamental knowledge and a sustainable energy future.
The tragedy occurred on the night of December 15, 2025, when Loureiro was shot dead by multiple shots in the lobby of his residential building in Brookline, Massachusetts, a town close to Boston. He was rushed to a hospital, where he passed away in the early hours of December 16 at the age of 47. Authorities classified the incident as a homicide and opened an immediate investigation. In the first few days, there were no reports of thefts or a clear motive, which increased the shock and uncertainty around the case.
The loss of Nuno Loureiro had an impact that transcended personal and institutional. At a time when the world is urgently looking for real alternatives to fossil fuels, the loss of a key scientist in fusion energy research clouds the path to a cleaner energy future.
His legacy lives on in his research, in the students he trained, and in the vision of a future where clean, limitless energy ceases to be a distant promise to become reality.
📚 Source:
- "Nuno Loureiro, professor and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, dies at 47", MIT News, 16 diciembre 2025.
- "What MIT Physicist Nuno Loureiro Was Working on Before Fatal Shoot¡ng", NewsWeek, by: Alice Gibbs, December 17, 2025
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