What we may believe...

Scientists react to cold fusion in 1989

It seems that when it comes to holding on to their beliefs that scientists themselves are not immune. In 1989 two researchers at the University of Utah, Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann announced that they had produced nuclear fusion at room temperatures – cold fusion. Many scientists nearly howled and clawed the turf in disagreement. Certainly much of the outrage was based on an existing body of knowledge of how nuclear reactions take place – and the extreme temperature and pressures which are required. However many scientists did not make any effort to attempt to duplicate Pons and Fleischmann’s experiment and achieve the same results.

In the weeks that followed a few researchers did reproduce the simple apparatus which was used to justify the cold fusion claim. A great many of them failed to achieve the same observations. Other scientists, more cautiously later reviewed the experiment and made statements on design flaws in the design of the apparatus and analysis of the observations. In all of this, a critical point was lost – that there was, and still remains an unexplained and difficult to reproduce event at the heart of this experiment.

Some scientists and members of the media have commented that Pons and Fleischman committed a sort of ‘scientific sin’ in their cold fusion announcement. In making a claim that so challenged the accepted wisdom and understanding of nuclear reactions that they directly threatened the reputations of other scientists who had made their careers in this field. Or that potentially, research projects and the security of scientific careers were in jeopardy if suddenly funding was diverted to a new line of enquiry. As well, Pons and Fleischmann were chemists – and some claimed that physicists were suspicious of outsiders engaging in claims within their territory.

After the dust settled the situation with cold fusion appeared a bit different. While it seemed at the time scientifically unlikely that fusion occurs at room temperatures research has continued with more open minds and level heads.

Returning to the point, we have seem an admittedly small sample of how individuals from a range of backgrounds and experience can strongly hold on to their beliefs.

So what of human beings, and the earlier comment regarding our ‘natural state’? We’re definitely beasts which can have emotional reactions, we feel delighted, playful, worried, threatened or even scared – wonderful, valuable and powerful emotions - and all part of being alive and human. So moments such as those described earlier are understandable – but in those situations, without a doubt, inappropriate.

For more information

Cold Fusion - 18 years later
http://freeenergynews.com

Cold Fusion - PhysicsWorld
http://physicsworld.com