>- WHAT IS COLD FUSION (LENR, CANR, >CMNS)? Cold fusion is a set of quantum effects which occur in a lattice loaded with diffusing elements. The effects occur due to long exposure times and high mass density. These effects include nuclear reactions without characteristic energetic signatures or branching ratios. These nuclear reactions do not require large initial collision energies, and nuclei created in such reactions do not carry the high level of excitement that produces characteristic branching ratios. Additionally, heat may be generated in a loaded lattice environment that does not correspond to any nuclear source of energy, but rather to quantum interactions of electrons with the vacuum.
> >- HOW DOES IT WORK? Unknown. It is likely there are various mechanisms at work. > >- WHAT CHANCES DOES IT HAVE TO BE >SCALED UP TO A TECHNOLOGY? When the phenomena are highly repeatable then engineering principles and computer models can be developed and the prospects for scaling up are very good. > >- WHAT HAVE WE TO DO IN ORDER TO >ATTAIN THIS? Principally lacking in the field is a multidisciplinary approach. A multidisciplinary team of scientists is required which work closely, backed by powerful computational capabilities, and precision instruments. Much of the little progress made to date has been by individuals or small teams working within the constraints of personal budgets or nominal funding. There have been big budget projects, but the direction of these was not by creative multidisciplinary teams. Spending lots of money to satisfy a limited mind set or vision is clearly not an answer. There is still much room for an expanded Edsionian search of lattice materials deposited as thin films and for study of plasma-lattice interactions. The range of possible lattice materials and operating temperatures has barely been scratched. Practical energy producing devices will likely operate at high temperatures. Effective direction of such a search requires experts in chemistry, quantum mechanics, materials science, especially ceramics, nuclear physics, and computational physics. Also lacking so far is funding for a team or teams principally dedicated to replications and which have available a sufficient range of high quality instruments to determine if the cause of the results is as described by the original scientists. Much work in the field has not been replicated. The scientific method is not working well in this field due to a lack of funding and to stigma. The stigma will probably only be removed when an inexpensive and easily accomplished experiment is produced and widely disseminated which clearly demonstrates anomalous nuclear or energy effects. The easiest thing that can be done in a positive direction might be to establish a highly moderated list dedicated to relevant subjects. Most of the scientists that were on vortex have left. Very little serious discussion remains. The problems though are obtaining and keeping a moderator with the time and ability to keep things going, getting serious scientists to join and contribute, and keeping the list activity going because moderated lists tend to dry up. Vortex has been an excellent resource (for me anyway) because the subject matter for the most part has been technical and discussion of really unusual ideas is wide open. However, it does not seem to meet the needs of serious scientists focused on cold fusion. Regards, Horace Heffner
