Jed Rothwell
Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:03:17 -0700
Edmund Storms wrote:
Good question, Steven. If this method is as good as claimed, it is the best and only method I believe that can result in a commercial device. Earlier use of palladium black by Arata showed similar behavior. Using this material, McKubre (SRI) replicated the claimed heat production and produced some tritium in the process. As a result, the method looks very promising.
I agree completely. That's why I began the thread with title "really astounding." I did not mean that the calorimetry is astounding or that the paper is sublimely well written. It is, in fact, one of the worst papers Arata has published, when you evaluate it strictly by style, organization, choice of words and so on, without reference to the content. Great discoveries are often hidden under muddled prose.
This experiment is similar to the previous experiments in many critical ways. The fact that they were confirmed and independently replicated is good reason to think that this experiment is also valid.
But, the difference between a scientific experiment and a practical device is always vast and littered with pitfalls.
Also true and very important. The pitfalls include technical problems, but more often personality problems. In Arata's case the latter may prove fatal. I am glad there 5 Chinese people involved, including 4 young people who I suppose must be ambitious and who would not be happy to see years of their work thrown away because Arata refuses to work with anyone who does not promise to call this "the Arata effect," or for some other bizarre reason.
- Jed