Cold Fusion: The Scientific Fiasco of the Century - Softcover

Inhaltsangabe

In the spring of 1989, two electrochemists promised the world an energy utopia - clean, cheap, and abundant energy without harmful side effects on the environment. It was the scientific story of the century, broadcast around the globe. Martin Fleischmann and B. Stanley Pons, working at the University of Utah, claimed to have duplicated the high temperature process powering the sun, at room temperature in a small jar on a lab tabletop. Scientists worldwide rushed to their laboratories to verify cold fusion; the majority were unable to replicate Fleischmann and Pons' claims, but many groups did report excess heat or fusion products. On this basis supporters argued that there must be some validity for cold fusion, even to the extent of refining conventional nuclear physics. Detailed analysis showed, however, that most of the reports were plagued by experimental uncertainties, inadequate controls, and improper assessment of errors. In this remarkable book, Professor Huizenga, co-Chairman of the US Department of Energy Cold Fusion Panel that investigated the claims of Pons and Fleischmann and their supporters, documents the development of the cold fusion saga and provides a careful and thorough study of the scientific and other issues relating to the controversy. The account is factual and hard-hitting and the book concludes with an important discussion of the lessons to be learnt from the episode and the implications for the proper conduct of science. Drawing parallels with other cases of `pathological science' Professor Huizenga concludes that the history of cold fusion demonstrates once again that science works be exposing and correcting its own errors. In this new paperback edition, the author has taken the opportunity to bring the cold fusion story up to date.

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