Cold fusion ‘breakthrough’ heralds clean nuclear power

The Sunday Times (UK) ^ | March 03, 2002 | Jonathan Leake, Science Editor

[Bobby777]

>...Until now the only way to achieve fusion has been through nuclear weapons ...<<

I thought weapons used nuclear FISSION.

the so-called "A-Bomb" used fission ... the "H-bomb" uses fission-fusion ... a fission device is used to create the fusion reaction ...

that's why space-bound satellites look for the distinctive "double-flash" of modern weapons ... it lets them know that a fission-fusion weapon has been detonated ... some have said the fusion reaction reaches 35 million degrees, actually hotter than the *core* of the Sun ... ouch ... big ouch ...

[Tennessee_Bob]

Wow...Oak Ridge makes the news. Next up - radiation mutants from the SNS.

[Willie Green]

And just what course in atomic physics taught you that tidbit of techno-babble? You really should study up on your fizix a bit better.

As I vaguely recall, that would have been Physics 237 at Penn State.
But quantum physics wasn't very applicable to my Industrial Engineering major, so I did find it quite boring.
So let me know when the researchers can boil enough water to make a decent cup of coffee.
I'd be happy to help you put the process into commercial production.

[VadeRetro]

Really wasn't expecting a serious announcement in this area any time soon. Confirmation attempts will tell the story.

[TonyInOhio]

Next time, post a BARF ALERT before you do that.

Go Bucks!

Tony

[PatrickHenry]

I am in my basement la-BOR-a-tory (Brittish pronounciation) working on the very same thing. I'll keep you advised.

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Every time I hear the term "cold fusion" it's always followed shortly by "fraud" "dissapointment" and "let down"

Pons and Fleischmann blew it. They published before they understood what was going on. There was definitely something going on, but by their actions they tarred the field for a decade.

But there's something there. Hats off to those who have had the stones to keep looking.

Cold fusion is the fascinating potential intersection between chemistry and nuclear reactions-- it's not at all understood, but the basic principles make sense.

[Blood of Tyrants]

When a new idea or invention was poo-pooed with the "What good is it?" critism Ben Franklin supposedly said, "What good is a newborn baby?"

[Physicist]

I hope this is true if for no other reason than it will redeem Professor Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons!

Not a chance. This is a completely different technique from what they tried to peddle. It's been conjectured for years that sonoluminescence exploits some sort of nuclear process.

I'll not be surprised if it turns out to be the case, but I will be surprised if it can be exploited for power production. Another experimentally verified method of cold fusion, muon catalyzed fusion, has so far turned out to be a dead end for any commercial purpose.

The body science and the politics behind it did these men a great disservice.

Proving somebody wrong is not a disservice. In any case, science is not there to serve scientists such as Pons and Fleischmann, but rather vice-versa.

[Principled]

fire....the wheel....then cold fusion/fission

If this works out, it will change our world.

[Physicist]

COLD = LOW ENERGY

In this case, "cold" means "cold compared to the center of the sun". That would apply equally well to...well, every other means we have of producing power. It's the quantity of energy released that matters.

[edwin hubble]

Well, Pons and Fleischman were disgraced for the way they presented (or didn't present) their data -- at the advice of their lawyers. But the word-of-mouth stories of some of what they saw (explosions unexplained by conventional chemistry)- suggested that there was "something" there.

So, for 14 years research quietly continued around the world. (Japan and Italy and elsewhere). No reports from that line of experiments.

Back in '88 Phil Morrison of MIT said of P&F's experiment:

"..If true, it will be the greatest discovery of man since fire". (thus the lawyers' motivation)

Sonoluminescence produces flashes of light in the visible (blue) range, suggesting extremely small regions of great pressure as the symmetrical bubbles collapse. Different from the electrochemistry of P&F.

We will see.

[Bobby777]

Pons and Fleischmann weren't thorough, were they not? ... they couldn't reproduce their "results" and in any case, as you stated, certainly had no commercial viability ... their "method" I mean ...

[longshadow]

Edward Teller's baby.

Indeed; the Western Union message he received from a colleague who was still involved with the project to signify it's success was: "It's a boy!"

[longshadow]

I am in my basement la-BOR-a-tory (Brittish pronounciation) working on the very same thing. I'll keep you advised.

Does "Plato the Platy" help out with the chores, or does he just sit there and make faces at you?

[xm177e2]

COLD = LOW ENERGY

There just isn't enough common sense in nuclear physics, it's a bunch of liberal academia-babble.

Too many egghead physicists and not enough all-American Pat Buchanan supporters. Go Pat Go! </sarcasm>

[Diogenesis]

Drs. Fleischman and Pons have been confirmed with peer reviewed published data.

There was a coverup of cold fusion - which after 911 is very serious.

This technique is different. Don't think it is as hot as the sun, however.

[Willie Green]

In this case, "cold" means "cold compared to the center of the sun".....

Sheeeesh! Alright, alright already!!!
LOL!!! I'm not trying to flame you, but I do wish others would read my other replies on this thread before explaining that to me again!!!

<:-)