A major gathering of fusion scientists has concluded that the next target for magnetic fusion research should be the creation of a burning plasma. The 280 scientists from the US and around the world who met last week in Snowmass, Colorado, also agreed that the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) and two smaller proposed magnetic confinement experiments would all contribute to the development of fusion energy. The US government will use these and other conclusions from the meeting to decide whether to join ITER.