Some of us may still remember that classic video add where Ella Fitzgerald sings a hearty tune. It's a spontaneous ditty which ends with the shattering of a crystal glass as Ella belts out a final high note. The commercial subsequently proceeds to play back a Memorex tape recording of Fitzgerald's voice. The playback causes another crystal glass to shatter. The commercial ends, asking us: "Is it live or is it Memorex!"
The burning question many Vorts are probably asking themselves these days is whether Rossi's mysterious e-cats devices are due to "live" nuclear effects... or are we in the process of recording the equivalent of another "Memorex" moment in the zany annals of fissix. IOW, does the Rossi effect generate classic nuclear reactions, or will it usher in brand new forms of physics which, due to our current lack of understanding, seems to mimic nuclear effects. I'm surprised to discover the fact that I'm coming around to a tentative notion that that what's probably happening is NOT nuclear at all... at least not in the classic sense. There seems to be considerable disagreement as to whether copper and other elements, like iron, were really being "transmuted" from nickel - or did these extraneous elements (what might be called contaminants) simply migrate over and intermingle with the nickel powder. The obvious catch, the huge elephant that seems to be missing in many theoretical equations currently being bandied about is: how-cum no harmful radiation appears to have been generated? What's responsible for all of Rossi's glorious but unaccounted for heat? It's my understanding that the amount of "radiant" heat Rossi had to have been exposed to over the many years he was tinkering away in his lab... well, if this really is a "nuclear effect" he should be very thoroughly dead by now. Not only that, he should probably be sealed within a lead lined coffin and buried deep under a lot of neutron absorbing earth and concrete. At present we find ourselves feverishly speculating: Could the heat be the result of harnessing a mysterious and not understood casimir effect? Could it be due to ZPE flagrantly exposing itself out in the macro world? Could it be due to a variant of the Widom-Larsen effect, where ultra-low-momentum neutrons ramble aimlessly about within the nickel lattice like dimwitted bulls stumbling about in a china chop? Could it be due to not well understood quantum mechanical nuclear effects (fusion/lenr/canr)? Could it be due to pesky no-see-um hydrinos? Or is it possibly due to one of my favorites: alchemy, the Steam Punk variety! There exists a plethora of theories all doing their best to explain what's happening. No doubt we are likely to be exposed to several more before scientific consensus begins the arduous task of whittling through the selections - down to something more manageable. In the meantime, it's important we do our best to maintain an impartial, objective perspective as we ponder the latest "special of the day". Exploring the ramifications of each new theory and the explanations that go along with them is both healthy and a crucial part of the R&A process, particularly when we are confronted with something as outrageously "hot" as Rossi's e-Cat device. To restate the obvious, we are probably in for a period of outrageous discovery, the kind of scientific "discovery" that is sure to ruffle many an established feather. As an honorable member of the peanut gallery it would seem that I have only one viable option left to me: Gawk! My wife is rustling up a bucket of popcorn and a soda from the concession stand while I empty my bladder in the men's room. We're looking to seat ourselves close to front row. There's still time. Previews and coming attractions are still playing - to be followed by a short-feature cartoon, from Pixar of course! But don't dally too long! The main feature is about to start, possibly in less than 12 months. Tick, tick, tick... Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
