German Magazine Spektrum Features Cold Fusion

The German science magazine Spektrum has published a feature article on the topic of LENR written by Janosch Deeg titled “Cold fusion – wish or reality?” which looks at the possibilities of cold fusion mainly from a theoretical perspective.

Deeg explains in basic terms the concept of nuclear fusion and then examines some of the claims that have been made regarding the ‘cold’ variety. He states, “Researchers who deal with this phenomenon today, speak mostly of LENR [low energy nuclear reactions]. This concept solves firstly produced no negative connotations, but much more important is that the observed phenomena are very likely not nuclear fusion in the traditional sense. The term “cold fusion” would therefore be misleading.”

Deeg seems respectful of the work done by DARPA, Robert Duncan, and Michael McKubre, and takes seriously the theory proposed by Widom and Larsen regarding energy production by electron capture — but recognizes there are other models out there, none of which has been proven as yet.

When it comes to Andrea Rossi and the E-Cat, Deeg is more circumspect. He writes:

This so-called E-Cat has now been repeatedly subjected to tests by scientists. In fact, recently claimed a team led by theoretical physicists Hanno Essén and the nuclear physicist Bo Höistad , the device produces an unusually high excess energy . Critics, however, complain that attempts were never sufficiently independently or methodically thorough. In addition, Rossi is silent on the exact design of his E-Cats, which makes a serious scientific analysis almost impossible, and so Rossi loses credibility.

Deeg concludes by saying that the future of this field is uncertain, but concedes that further research into anomalous effects that have been observed, while not ‘cold fusion’ in the literal sense of the term, could lead to discoveries about previously unknown phenonomena.

Overall, the article takes a cautious stance, but is not entirely negative. And the fact that this is in a respectable science magazine is another sign to me of a gradual thaw in attitudes of people working in the mainstream of science regarding the LENR field.