Princeton Scientists Unveil Cheaper, Easier-to-Build Fusion Reactor Design Using Permanent Magnets and 3D Printing

• A team at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab built a new fusion reactor called MUSE using permanent magnets and 3D-printed parts, showcasing a potentially cheaper way to build these machines.

• MUSE is a stellarator, a cruller-shaped device that contains high-temperature plasma to foster nuclear fusion reactions.

• Unlike other stellarators, MUSE uses permanent magnets instead of solenoids, allowing for quicker testing of ideas and easier construction.

• Last year, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Lab achieved a fusion reaction that produced more energy than it took to power it, but there's still a long way to go for usable fusion energy.

• Small tweaks like MUSE's permanent magnets make it easier for scientists to conduct fusion experiments and get closer to the goal of scalable fusion power.