The ribbon was cut Monday morning to open the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB), a research facility at Michigan State University where scientists can accelerate ions at up to half the speed of light.
Those ions will smash into a target, with collisions that will produce rare isotopes that could lead to advancements in the fight against cancer and perhaps unlock the secrets of the universe.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm praised the country’s bipartisan support for investing in the brains of this country, saying, "We are not going to be overtaken by China or by others who are equally hungry to be in the lead. We have to invest in order to be in the lead.”
Sec. Granholm added that President Joe Biden wanted her to convey how seriously the U.S. is investing in the future.
“We’re going to invest in curiousity-based research and research that leads to cures for cancer, that leads us to be safe in a nuclear age,” she said.
Researchers from all over the world are lining up for access to FRIB.
The $730-million dollar facility was completed on budget and ahead of schedule.