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NEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCENEWSCIENCE detractors can do that will prevent the out a campaign against the new technology increasingly rapid commercialisation of of cold fusion. All of this was done in new-energy devices and systems. The _ secrecy (except for the ERAB subcommit- most important aspect is the following: _ tee). Here are the facts, insofar as we have there is no need for government funding. _ been able to gather and publish them. Government funds only delay projects and A subcommittee of the Energy Research add to paperwork. Advisory Board travelled to various labora- The end result is that the Department of tories where successes in cold fusion had Energy will find it increasingly difficult to been claimed. If the researchers were mea- get funds for energy development when it suring neutrons, they were told that it was has been so reluctant to fund anything but background radiation. If the researchers hot fusion for so many years. It has really were getting tritium, they were told that it failed in its assigned mission to develop was contamination. If excess heat was new energy sources. being produced, they were told that they — Hal Fox, 18 October 1999 didn't have proper calorimetry. Except for one small paragraph demanded by one of COLD FUSION CONSPIRACY? the honest members of the committee, the he following is edited from a briefing ERAB final report was entirely negative paper by Hal Fox, President of the about cold fusion. Fusion Information Center, submitted to an An arrangement was made for someone inquiry by the US Commerce Department's _ in the Office of Patents to ensure that no detractors can do that will prevent the out a campaign against the new technology _ nals were contacted and were instructed increasingly rapid commercialisation of of cold fusion. All of this was done in _ not to publish articles on cold fusion. All new-energy devices and systems. The _ secrecy (except for the ERAB subcommit- editors but one then set up barriers against most important aspect is the following: — tee). Here are the facts, insofar as we have _cold fusion publication. The one editor there is no need for government funding. _ been able to gather and publish them. who did not accept that type of instruction Government funds only delay projects and A subcommittee of the Energy Research was Professor George Miley of Fusion add to paperwork. Advisory Board travelled to various labora- Technology. The end result is that the Department of _ tories where successes in cold fusion had An amount of US$30,000 (or $40,000 Energy will find it increasingly difficult to been claimed. If the researchers were mea- according to different sources) was given get funds for energy development when it suring neutrons, they were told that it was to Random House to have a "hatchet job" has been so reluctant to fund anything but background radiation. If the researchers done against cold fusion. The result was hot fusion for so many years. It has really were getting tritium, they were told that it the widely acclaimed (by orchestration) failed in its assigned mission to develop was contamination. If excess heat was _ book by Gary Taubes, Bad Science: The new energy sources. being produced, they were told that they Short Life and Weird Times of Cold Fusion — Hal Fox, 18 October 1999 didn't have proper calorimetry. Except for (1993). For one knowledgeable about cold one small paragraph demanded by one of _ fusion developments, it is obvious that this COLD FUSION CONSPIRACY? the honest members of the committee, the book was a deliberate hatchet job. he following is edited from a briefing ERAB final report was entirely negative In addition to the above well-orchestrat- paper by Hal Fox, President of the about cold fusion. ed activities, some appointed or self- Fusion Information Center, submitted to an An arrangement was made for someone appointed scientists have been very active inquiry by the US Commerce Department's _ in the Office of Patents to ensure that no __ in travelling to conventions, etc., and doing Office of the Inspector-General. The their best to challenge any positive cold department is investigating complaints fusion results. Two of these are (were) that the Office of Patents and Dr Douglas R. O. Morrison (CERN, Trademarks is not allowing any patent . Switzerland) and Professor John R. applications for cold fusion or low-ener - Cold fusion does work. Huizenga (University of Rochester), gy nuclear reactions to be processed chairman of the ERAB subcommittee (if beyond being rejected. — Ed. Over 600 papers from my memory is correct). over 200 laboratories One of the most active protagonists has A. Background A . been Robert Parks, with some association As the director of the first research lab- In 30 countries have with the American Physical Society. oratory at the University of Utah reported successes. (The current president of the American Research Park, I was intensely interested Physical Society denied in a recent con- in the March 23, 1989 announcement of versation that Robert Parks speaks for the cold fusion, called by the University of Society.) Parks was instrumental in pre- Utah administration (not called by Pons venting a recent conference from being and Fleischmann). The announcement of a _ cold fusion patent application was accepted held in a proffered auditorium in a govern- new source of energy was most exciting to for patenting (whether any type of coercion ment facility. Parks has an e-mail list of me. That day I began the plans for trying or reward was involved is unknown). Each many people in the Department of Energy to be of some help (systems engineering person, as far as we have been able to —_ and, about once a month or more often, background, missile system specialist for determine, was sent the same information: sends out statements that ridicule any cold several years). By mid-April 1989, we had a copy of a newspaper article from the New fusion or low-energy nuclear reaction organised the Fusion Information Center York Times, saying that cold fusion doesn't experiments, papers, books, etc. and obtained offices at the University of — work; and a copy of the paper by 16 PhDs Please recognise that this anti-cold- Utah Research Park. from MIT [Massachusetts Institute of | fusion program was a very well planned By July 1989, we had decided that infor- Technology] stating that they could not and orchestrated scheme to destroy cold mation-gathering and publishing such _ replicate cold fusion (this is the paper fusion. These were clever and well-execut- information would be our best role. Our — where the authors removed the data show- ed operations. We have been told that first edition of Fusion Facts was published ing that they did get a small amount of _ were it not for Fusion Facts and its rapid in July 1989 and continued as a monthly __ excess heat). exchange of information of successes in ublication for several years before being A person (representing powers-that-be in various parts of the world, cold fusion incorporated as part of the Journal of New Washington, DC) called many of the would have been dead. That is more credit Energy, a peer-reviewed, quarterly, scien- physics and chemistry departments at _ than we deserve. tific journal (abstracted from the first issue major universities in the United States. — Hal Fox, 6 August 1999 y Chemical Abstracts, the world's fore- | Here was his message as relayed to me most scientific abstracting organisation). from one such department: "If youhaveso (Source: Hal Fox, President, Fusion much as a graduate student working on Information Center, Institute for New B. Attacks on Cold Fusion cold fusion, you will get no contracts out of | Energy, Utah, USA, tel [801] 466 8680, e- By the fall of 1989, it was apparent that | Washington." mail halfox @ mail.slkc.uswest.net, website someone had organised and was carrying All editors of the major scientific jour- — www.padrak.com/ine. Over 600 papers from over 200 laboratories B. Attacks on Cold Fusion By the fall of 1989, it was apparent that someone had organised and was carrying NEXUS - 55 Cold fusion does work. in 30 countries have reported successes. “Hal Fox, 6 August 1999 DECEMBER 1999 — JANUARY 2000