Israeli officials are reportedly examining intelligence pointing to a possible Iranian connection in the murder of senior MIT nuclear scientist Prof. Nuno F. G. Loureiro, who was shot at his home Monday night by unknown assailants and later died at a local hospital.
Loureiro, 47, was the director of the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a position he held after joining the faculty in 2016. Born and raised in Portugal, he earned his undergraduate degree at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, completed his Ph.D. at Imperial College London, and conducted advanced research at the Institute for Plasmas and Nuclear Fusion before moving to the United States.
Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa issued a statement mourning Loureiro’s death, calling him a scientist of exceptional intellect whose loss is “irreplaceable for science and for all who worked and collaborated with him.”
Loureiro was widely regarded as one of the leading theoretical physicists in plasma dynamics, a field with applications ranging from solar flare modeling to the long-sought goal of viable fusion energy. In a 2024 interview, he described fusion as one of humanity’s most difficult but most important challenges.
“Fusion is a hard problem, but it can be solved with resolve and ingenuity,” Loureiro said at the time. “Fusion energy will change the course of human history.”
Colleagues consistently described him as both brilliant and deeply committed to mentoring students. Benoit Forget, head of MIT’s Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, remembered Loureiro as “a tremendous colleague, mentor, and friend who cared deeply about his students and his community.”
On Tuesday evening, dozens gathered outside Loureiro’s apartment building for a candlelight vigil, lighting candles in their windows in tribute to the slain scientist.
As of Thursday, local police had not identified any suspects or announced a motive. Loureiro reportedly suffered multiple gunshot wounds inside his home and succumbed to his injuries several hours later. Authorities have declined to speculate publicly, citing the ongoing investigation.
CBS News reported that Loureiro was not involved in classified research, noting that “no classified work is performed on campus.” The FBI has reportedly offered assistance, though Massachusetts authorities have not yet formally requested federal involvement.
According to the Jerusalem Post, Israeli officials are reviewing intelligence from recent days that suggests a potential Iranian link, given Loureiro’s work in a strategically sensitive field. However, sources emphasized that there is no definitive evidence at this stage tying the murder to Iran or to any state-sponsored intelligence operation.
“The examination is being conducted against the backdrop of Loureiro’s sensitive area of research,” the report noted, while cautioning that conclusions remain preliminary.
Meanwhile, the Jewish magazine Forward sought to debunk online rumors claiming Loureiro was targeted due to pro-Israel activism. The outlet reported that social media posts attributed to Loureiro were written by someone else with the same name, and that a widely circulated image allegedly showing a “Stand With Israel” sign in his window has not been verified. MIT, citing policy, declined to comment on Loureiro’s religious beliefs.
Adding to the intrigue, WPRI News in Rhode Island reported Thursday that investigators are looking into possible ties between Loureiro’s murder and a shooting at Brown University over the weekend. While the locations are roughly 50 miles apart, police have so far dismissed any confirmed connection between the two cases.
For now, the killing of a world-class nuclear scientist on American soil remains unsolved — and deeply troubling. If foreign involvement is ultimately confirmed, it would raise serious questions about national security, foreign intelligence operations, and the protection of America’s scientific community.
