Arms control robots, a new national facility, and accelerating the drive to bring the fusion energy that powers the sun and stars to Earth. These far-reaching achievements at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) made 2019 another remarkable year. Research at the only national laboratory devoted to fusion and plasma physics -- the state of matter that makes up 99 percent of the visible universe -- broke new ground in varied fields as vast as astrophysics and as tiny as nanotechnology. Here in no particular order, in case you missed them, are 10 must-read stories that capture an example of the full range of research and development during the past year at the Laboratory -- plus three bonus stories highlighting a first-generation college student, an award-winning apprenticeship program, and creation of a supersonic plasma jet that could facilitate the study of stellar bodies light years away to help gain an understanding of our universe.
Bonus 1. First-generation college student. Physics major Barbara Garcia pursues fresh ideas as a summer intern at PPPL.
Bonus 2. Apprentices alight. Award-winning program gives early career technicians the chance to learn high-tech skills.
Bonus 3. From the Lab to deep space. Development of plasma jets opens a new chapter in studying the stars.
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PPPL, on Princeton University's Forrestal Campus in Plainsboro, N.J., is devoted to creating new knowledge about the physics of plasmas -- ultra-hot, charged gases -- and to developing practical solutions for the creation of fusion energy. The Laboratory is managed by the University for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit energy.gov/science .