Nuno Loureiro, a professor and director of MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, was found fatally shot at his Brookline home Monday night, officials said.
Authorities have investigated whether his death could be connected to this weekend’s Brown University shooting and, at this point, a senior law enforcement official briefed on both cases told ABC News there is nothing to suggest they’re connected.
SCIENTIST SLAIN: Homicide detectives are investigating after an MIT lab director and professor, 47-year-old Nuno F.G. Loureiro, was shot in his home on Monday night. He was pronounced dead early Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/ZKXLXoVsz3
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 16, 2025
🚨 MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Shot After Major Fusion Research Breakthroughs.
Dr. Nuno Loureiro was one of the most important voices in nuclear fusion research.
Three Things About His Research:
#1 The Work: Focused on creating a virtually limitless, clean energy source on… pic.twitter.com/JVLP4L4KFx
— 🔥 CEO Branding Expert (@Ceo_Branding) December 16, 2025
MIT Professor Nuno Loureiro Shot After Major Fusion Research Breakthroughs.
Dr. Nuno Loureiro was one of the most important voices in nuclear fusion research.
Three Things About His Research:
#1 The Work: Focused on creating a virtually limitless, clean energy source on Earth.
No carbon. No meltdown risk. No long-term radioactive waste.
The holy grail of energy.
#2 What His Death Means: Without people like Loureiro, there’s no roadmap to a working fusion power plant.
He advised global projects, including work funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
His fingerprints are on the future of power.
This will be investigated as a motive.
#3 The Blowback:
His death comes just as the fusion race is heating up.
•Private companies and governments are pumping in billions. The uncertainty could impact future funding.
•Major breakthroughs are being announced yearly.
•Patents, partnerships, and politics are now in the mix.
His loss sets back a field that was just picking up real momentum.
Is this professional hit, a personal matter, or something else?
This is a story to watch as we mourn him and pray 🙏 for those close to him.