What Happened to Cold Fusion?

Cold fusion was hot about 20 years ago, and then it faded almost into oblivion after being discredited as unrealistic. Today, it may be time to re-evaluate its potential.

On March 23, 1989, two scientists in Salt Lake City, Utah, Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons, presented evidence of nuclear-level heat production from an electrochemical process. This was an outcome that was until then unimaginable and entirely unexpected. Simultaneously (and apparently independently) Steven Jones, also from Utah, announced his discovery of the neutron production from an electrochemical process, also entirely unexpectedly.

These announcements were greeted with great hope. Skepticism and accusations of deception followed, however, as replication of the processes proved difficult.

A group of SRI scientists has been studying this phenomenon continuously for more than 22 years. At Café Scientifique on Oct. 11, Mike McKubre will report on the state of the field, reasons to have hope and confidence in cold fusion as a potentially unlimited energy source, and the basis for continuing skepticism.

Watch a 60 Minutes interview in which McKubre explains how cold fusion could yield nuclear-grade energy at room temperature on a tabletop. Based on a number of successful, repeated experiments he has conducted, McKubre envisions a clean nuclear battery that could power a car or laptop for years.   

Michael McKubre, Ph.D., is an internationally recognized expert in electrochemical kinetics. He is a pioneer in the use of AC circuit impedance methods for the evaluation of electrode kinetic processes. McKubre also introduced harmonic impedance spectroscopy as a tool to measure rates and mechanisms of electrochemical reactions. These techniques are widely applied in the fields of battery science, fuel cells, corrosion, electrochemical sensors, and hydrogen production and storage.