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Son of cold fusion: Forbes.com returns attention to low-energy nuclear reactions
Physics Today ^ | March 19, 2013 | Steven T. Corneliussen

Posted on 03/20/2013 12:18:28 PM PDT by Kevmo

Son of cold fusion: Forbes.com returns attention to low-energy nuclear reactions

Spirited interest from two NASA scientists leads to new information about an old controversy.

March 19, 2013 Published: March 19, 2013

By Steven T. Corneliussen

At NASA, two scientists' enthusiasm for research on low-energy nuclear reactions (LENRs) has led to the production of public-relations materials. At Forbes.com, the website of the nearly century-old business magazine Forbes, the news from NASA has inspired contributor Jeff McMahon to add to the flurry of media interest seen last year at US News, Nature, and the Guardian.

Forbes.com itself lists 13 articles involving LENRs from 2011 and 2012. Now it has posted two columns by McMahon: "NASA: A nuclear reactor to replace your water heater" and "Tiny nuclear reactions inside compact fluorescent bulbs?" The water-heater piece appeared nine days after NASA posted online the public-relations write-up "News: The nuclear reactor in your basement" on 13 February.

McMahon cites and quotes Dennis Bushnell, chief scientist at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Bushnell is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Royal Aeronautical Society. His NASA Future Innovation posting "Low energy nuclear reactions, the realism and the outlook" begins by summarizing:

Although there is a quite long history of "anomalous" observations, including transmutations, the "recent" consideration of Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) began in the late 80's with the Pons/Fleischmann observations and assertions regarding what they termed "Cold Fusion." However, subsequent difficulties with experimental replication and an utter lack of convincing theoretical explication forced research in this arena "underground" with minimal financial support.

The current situation is that we now have over two decades of hundreds of experiments worldwide indicating heat and transmutations with minimal radiation and low energy input. By any rational measure, this evidence indicates something real is occurring. So, is LENR "Real?" Evidently, from the now long standing and diverse experimental evidence. And, yes—with effects occurring from using diverse materials, methods of energy addition etc. This is far from a "Narrow Band" set of physical phenomena.

Bushnell goes on to assert:

* Something real is happening.

* The weak interaction theories suggest what the physics might be.

* There are efforts ongoing to explore the validity of the theories.

* There are continuing Edisonian efforts to produce "devices" mainly for heat or in some cases transmutations.

* There are efforts to "certify" such devices.

* NASA LaRC [Langley Research Center] has begun LENR design studies guided by the Weak Interaction Theory.

He concludes:

No promises, but some seriously "strange" things are going on, which we may be closer to understanding and if we can optimize/engineer such, the world changes. Worldwide, it is worth far more resources than are currently being devoted to this research arena. There is a need to core down and determine "truth" and if useful, the need to engineer and apply.

McMahon also cites and quotes the two-minute NASA public-relations video "The Technology Gateway: Method for Enhancement of Surface Plasmon Polaritons to Initiate and Sustain LENR." In the clip, Joseph Zawodny, senior research scientist at NASA Langley, speaks of a"demonstrated ability to produce excess amounts of energy, cleanly, without hazardous ionizing radiation" and of the "easiest implementation," which he says would be in the home.

None of those NASA or Forbes.com materials cite scientific papers or document specific experiments.

---

Steven T. Corneliussen, a media analyst for the American Institute of Physics, monitors three national newspapers, the weeklies Nature and Science, and occasionally other publications. He has published op-eds in the Washington Post and other newspapers, has written for NASA's history program, and is a science writer at a particle-accelerator laboratory.


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: cmns; coldfusion; lanr; lenr

1 posted on 03/20/2013 12:18:29 PM PDT by Kevmo
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To: dangerdoc; citizen; Liberty1970; Red Badger; Wonder Warthog; PA Engineer; glock rocks; free_life; ..

The Cold Fusion/LENR Ping List

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/coldfusion/index?tab=articles


http://lenr-canr.org/


2 posted on 03/20/2013 12:19:13 PM PDT by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: Kevmo

For spontaneous energy, my Grandpa would just have us pull his finger...


3 posted on 03/20/2013 12:25:10 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Establishment Republicans don't like that totalitarian thing unless it is THEIR totalitarian thing!)
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To: Kevmo

I’d love to have cold fusion actually work.

However, given that the physics standard model works to an accuracy of one part in literally millions, methinks that CF is a bunch of bull Obama.

Again, I’d LOVE to be proven wrong.


4 posted on 03/20/2013 12:29:14 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: Kevmo
...

AhJeez

5 posted on 03/20/2013 12:50:49 PM PDT by Drill Thrawl (The Progs are pushing for war. Be ready.)
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To: Kevmo

Masochist:
n.
1. Someone who is willing and tends to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.


6 posted on 03/20/2013 1:00:29 PM PDT by ZX12R
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To: Kevmo

This is a repost of a blog about other blog posts at Forbes that you’ve already posted on FR. The cold fusion astroturf network is a tangled web.


7 posted on 03/20/2013 1:09:05 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: Da Coyote
Even if it could work it would be all for naught because without a doubt liberals would find some way to say it hurts the environment/causes ozone holes/global warming/climate change/air pollution/water pollution/insect deaths/animal deaths/fish mutations/cancer/breathing issues/spills/seepage/hurricanes/tornados/tsunamis...Then they would start "alternative cold fusion companies" that do and create absolutely nothing, get money from the government, get mega-rich off it by dumping the stock while blaming Republicans, and Republicans would react by cowering into a fetal position.

Al Gore Net Worth

How much is Al Gore worth?

$300 Million

8 posted on 03/20/2013 1:10:57 PM PDT by GrandJediMasterYoda (Someday our schools will teach the difference between "lose" and "loose")
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To: Kevmo
At NASA, two scientists' enthusiasm for research on low-energy nuclear reactions (LENRs) has led to the production of public-relations materials.

Nothing says solid science like the production of PR materials.

9 posted on 03/20/2013 1:14:35 PM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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To: Moonman62; Drill Thrawl; freedumb2003

Thanks 4 Bumping The Thread T4BTT

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2965392/posts?page=19#19


10 posted on 03/20/2013 1:26:06 PM PDT by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: Moonman62; ZX12R

Thanks 4 Bumping The Thread T4BTT

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2965392/posts?page=19#19


11 posted on 03/20/2013 1:27:10 PM PDT by Kevmo ("A person's a person, no matter how small" ~Horton Hears a Who)
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To: Da Coyote

12 posted on 03/20/2013 2:14:17 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Establishment Republicans don't like that totalitarian thing unless it is THEIR totalitarian thing!)
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To: Moonman62
Nothing says solid science like the production of PR materials.

Tom Weller nailed it:

BTW, I am a science guy but this is too true not to post...

13 posted on 03/20/2013 2:18:55 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Establishment Republicans don't like that totalitarian thing unless it is THEIR totalitarian thing!)
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To: ZX12R

Masochist:
n.
1. Someone who is willing and tends to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.
2. Liberals


14 posted on 03/20/2013 2:20:06 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (Establishment Republicans don't like that totalitarian thing unless it is THEIR totalitarian thing!)
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To: Kevmo

This is more plausible than the greek guy with the Italian gizmo.

When you have reputable scientists willing to risk their reputations on what has heretofore been a career killer—then you know game is afoot.

I think the work of the dense plasma fusion scientists is closer to the mark—just judging by their degrees and pedigrees.


15 posted on 03/20/2013 3:08:21 PM PDT by ckilmer
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To: Da Coyote

“However, given that the physics standard model works to an accuracy of one part in literally millions, methinks that CF is a bunch of bull Obama.”

I don’t believe the theoretical framework that the NASA folks are looking at conflicts with the Standard Model.

These highly qualified scientists are saying there are clearly unexplained phenomena and large amounts of “excess energy”. That’s well worth additional investigation.

Me, I just want my flying car. ;-)


16 posted on 03/20/2013 3:26:17 PM PDT by PreciousLiberty
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To: Da Coyote
"I’d love to have cold fusion actually work."

It does.

"However, given that the physics standard model works to an accuracy of one part in literally millions, methinks that CF is a bunch of bull Obama."

The replicated experimental evidence (the only thing that matters) says differently. As Julian Schwinger put it..."the conditions prevailing in the solid state are not those of a high-temperature plasma..."

"Again, I’d LOVE to be proven wrong."

Start with Charles Beaudette's book "Excess Heat", and from there to the archive of publications at LENR/CANR. The data is available to those who actually bother to check it out.

But you won't. I have yet to run into a single skeptic on these threads who has actually bothered to look at the data.

17 posted on 03/20/2013 6:51:00 PM PDT by Wonder Warthog
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To: GrandJediMasterYoda
Even if it could work it would be all for naught because without a doubt liberals would find some way to say it hurts the environment/causes ozone holes/global warming/climate change/air pollution/water pollution/insect deaths/animal deaths/fish mutations/cancer/breathing issues/spills/seepage/hurricanes/tornados/tsunamis.

The solution to this is open-source LENR. Who will be the Linus Torvald of LENR?

18 posted on 03/20/2013 11:49:59 PM PDT by AZLiberty (No tag today.)
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To: Wonder Warthog
I have yet to run into a single skeptic on these threads who has actually bothered to look at the data.

I have yet to run into a cold fusion fanboy who can defend cold fusion without telling someone to buy a book or go to someone's personal blog or website.

BTW, I did look at LENR/CANR and read the papers on NASA's work with hydrogen purifiers. Remember?

19 posted on 03/21/2013 4:56:46 AM PDT by Moonman62 (The US has become a government with a country, rather than a country with a government.)
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