Michael Foster wrote:
Is cold fusion being actively suppressed? Although I'm not
a fan of conspiracy theories, I believe it is. Is it the big oil
companies? Nah, they couldn't possibly be more bored with
the idea. Besides, any company that size usually moves
and makes decisions with the speed of a glacier. If CF
becomes a viable energy source, they'll just be caught with
their pants down.
Personally, I don't think CF is being suppressed. This would require an
intent and effort to accomplish. In contrast, I think it is simply
ignored because most people think it is not real. A myth has taken hold
in the human mind, which is the basis for most beliefs in all subjects,
and this myth directs the approach being take.
I think there might be cold fusion suppression activity
among government scientists doing nuclear research of
various types. You have those scientists who are
simply arrogant and lazy enough to believe it just can't be
true, because it goes against the tenets of their standard
model religion. No amount of experimental evidence will
convince them. That's not what I'm talking about.
These people are in the minority, although they started the myth that is
directing other people's thoughts. Once the myth is in place, nothing
more needs to be done. Society goes the way the myth dictates automatically.
What I mean is active suppression of LENR research and
information for fear of its being used to make fissionable
material by nuclear transmutation. I came to suspect this
possiblity for a number of reasons. I was already a little
suspicious about this when I read recently about cluster
impact fusion (CIF) a few months ago. At first, it seemed
that credible scientists were, in effect, going to make a case
for LENR. Papers were being published in mainstream
scientific journals. CIF seemed to be an established fact.
Nuclear transmutation was happening on the metal targets
of the charged heavy water clusters.
Suddenly, a whole bunch of scientists made a joint state-
ment to the effect that the data were flawed and it couldn't
possibly be working. End of episode. Did anyone else
find this a little funny? You know,....just a little......funny.
In this case, the myth started to break down so that it required a
little additional effort to get it back in place. Now all is well.
Another thing that makes me wonder is the fact that
individuals can no longer buy heavy water or deuterium.
This is not true, a proper person can buy heavy-water. The issue is
liability. D2O is a poison. Therefore, like all such chemicals, it is
sold only to businesses.
I mean, what do they think we're going to do, use a 100gm
of heavy water as a neutron moderator in our teeny tiny
nuclear reactors? I was rather upset when Jed told us about
that retired scientist who couldn't buy any heavy water to
do some CF research.
And finally, I had a personal experience a long, long time
ago that confirms that anything that smacks of cheap isotope
separation is not smiled upon. I had a student job at the
U.S. Bureau of Mines when I was in college. Working there
was a much better education on a number of subjects than
any of my college classes could have been.
My job was sort of general lab assistant and was mostly a
sinecure. I had a lot of free time to mess around and there
were a lot equipment and materials. I had a nutty idea about
isotope separation. No expensive uranium hexafluoride
centrifuging and diffusion for me. I'm a cheap guy. So I
asked my boss if I could do a little experimenting on the side
with this idea. He said it was OK with him as long as it
didn't interfere with what he wanted done.
I couldn't get any uranium because the nuclear section was
more or less off limits to me, and besides the melting point
is too high for the equipment I had available. To make a
long story short, I was apparently able to get significant
concentration of Pb207 from the natural isotope mix using
the molten metal and a simple electromagnetic technique. I
will definitely not give the details here for fear of another
MIB visit.
Lead is very toxic. I can understand why someone might not want you
messing with it.
Word spread about my little "science fair project". I came in
one day and my entire setup was gone. I was called to the
office of the head of the facility whose title I can't recall...
director? He told me I was not to waste taxpayer time and
money on my personal projects. I thought that was kind of
funny since most of the scientists spent a lot of time asleep
at their lab benches. There were a couple of men in his
office. They didn't work there. They didn't actually have
black suits and sunglasses, but they really looked out of
place and unfriendly. I was prepared to take this order at
face value until the director told me not to discuss what I
had done with anyone. The two MIB said nothing and just
sort of glared at me.
A good argument against my little "conspiracy theory"
would be that Claytor, et. al., continue with their research.
In the case of Claytor, the issue is one of funding. At the present
time, nothing can be done at LANL without a program code. Without
funding, such a code does not exist. The government does not want people
to use money authorized for one project to be used on another project.
If someone wanted to give LANL money to do CF, such a code would be
generated and the work would be funded.
Regards
Ed
I know there are quite a few lurkers on this list who work or
have worked at government nuclear research facilities. I've
had a number of off-list emails from some of them. I'm sure
others on the list have as well. Now couldn't one of you
lurkers give us just a little bitty hint about this?
M.
_______________________________________________
Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com
The most personalized portal on the Web!
