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Re: Arthur C. Clarke on Cold Fusion



I have an ex-student who is at MIT. He claims that a roommate of his who
works in the research labs there has duplicated cold fusion or seen it
duplicated many times. He says no one wants to admit it for fear of
being ostracized. I remain skeptical. If they are successful, why not
publish? I think we are beating a dead horse.
--
Vern Dewees
Physics - South Garland H.S. In science, there is only Physics,
600 Colonel Drive all else is stamp collecting.
Garland, TX 75043 --Rutherford
(972) 494-8424

Isn't this the standard scenario of pathological science? Wild enthusiasm,
followed by belated skepticism when the confirming experiments don't work,
followed by increasing paranoia on the part of the original discoverers,
whereupon the whole thing goes underground and survives on rumors and
conspiracy theories.

The excuse that they won't make it publish for fear of ostracism just
doesn't wash. If it really works, and they can demonstrate it conclusively
(the real thorn in the ointment is that word--conclusively), they, and Pons
& Fleishman, will be wealthy beyond their wildest dreams, and then couldn't
care less about what the scientific community thinks. In fact, if they did
demonstrate it conclusively, and could give a rational scientific
explanation of what they did, the scientific community would embrace them
with open arms. Not only would they celebrate one of their own, but these
people would be the saviors of scientific research, because everybody would
be eager to fund all kinds of research, hoping to find more of these
breakthroughs. If you believe all this is going to happen, or that it has
already happened but is being kept secret for fear of ridicule, they I have
a bridge up in Brooklyn, that I would like to interest you in next time I'm
in your neighborhood.

I believe that Pons & Fleischman most recently took their operation to the
French Riviera, where they were working in a lab funded primarily by Sony
(actually, not a bad investment for them--they put up what is for them
petty cash for a few years and if it does pan out they are huge winners. If
it doesn't, they have lost nothing of consequence to them). But I recently
heard that Sony had cut off their support. Can anyone confirm or clarify
this information?

Hugh

Hugh Haskell
<mailto://hhaskell@mindspring.com>

Let's face it. People use a Mac because they want to, Windows because they
have to..
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