I wrote that quote...
"Cold fusion has no definitive theory – as yet, but the experimental
evidence is overwhelming: anomalous heat and transmutations can occur
within metallic-hydrides systems contained in small cells that sit on a
table-top"
http://coldfusionnow.org/discovery-news-misinforms-on-cold-fusion-again/
.. and stand by it.
On 5/30/13 7:08 AM, Jed Rothwell wrote:
Here is the latest column from Gibbs:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markgibbs/2013/05/30/rossis-a-fraud-no-hes-not-yes-he-is-no-he-isnt/
This is pretty good, but it includes a profound misunderstanding of
the scientific method. Gibbs quoted someone and wrote:
Cold fusion has no definitive theory – as yet, but the
experimental evidence is overwhelming: anomalous heat and
transmutations can occur within metallic-hydrides systems
contained in small cells that sit on a table-top
Unfortunately that’s not a sound argument … in fact, it’s not really
an argument at all; it merely hand waves away the science.
That is completely wrong. In experimental science you never need to
explain how something works in order to confirm it is real. You just
need to replicate it and show there is no error in the instruments or
techniques. This is _not_ hand waving. If it were, no one would accept
that high temperature superconductivity exists. Before 1952, no one
would have believed that cells reproduce, and before 1939, no one
would have believed that the sun is undergoing a nuclear reaction.
In science, nearly all discoveries begin when researchers first detect
and then confirm an anomaly. That is, something that cannot be
explained by theory. A theory is then developed or modified to explain
the anomaly. You can never reject an anomaly because it seems to
violate theory. When theory and replicated experiments conflict, the
experiments always win, theory always loses. If we abandon this rule,
or if we call it "hand waving" as Gibbs does here, progress in science
will come to a halt.
- Jed
--
Ruby Carat
r...@coldfusionnow.org <mailto:r...@coldfusionnow.org>
United States 1-707-616-4894
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www.coldfusionnow.org <http://www.coldfusionnow.org>
