More About This Cold Fusion
Policy Website
Research and Presentations on Cold Fusion Origins and
Policy Development
In addition to this website, a number of initiatives have been performed or are underway to explore policy potions for – and maximize the public interest in – cold fusion (CF) development and support. Current and past activities are outlined below in reverse chronological order, followed by upcoming or planned initiatives.
1. ICCF-14, Washington, D.C., August 2008: Abstracts Submitted
Two abstracts have been submitted for conference
presentation but have not yet been accepted (as of 20 June 2008):
·
“Open Source Science Applied to CMNS Research: A
Paradigm for Enhancing Cold Fusion Prospects and the Public Interest”
·
“Public Interest Arguments for Cold Fusion Policy
Change: Opportunities for the CMNS Research Community”
2. Public Interest and Level-of-Evidence Considerations in Cold Fusion Public Policy
An evaluation of the public
interest in the CF phenomenon, the level of evidence of CF existence, and the
possible public responses to various levels of evidence. Presentation
at Spring Meeting of the American Physical Society in
3. Cold Fusion: Excess Heat, the Public Interest, and Future Public Policy
An overview of the CF phenomenon,
its origins and controversy, and basis of need for re-evaluation under a public
interest and public policy context. Presentation made to
4. The Role of Open Source Science in Cold Fusion Research
A preliminary paper on the
potential role of Open Source Science in supporting CF research. Report
submitted as term paper to
5. Cold Fusion: A Cogent Topic for Rigorous Policy Analysis – Position Paper (Spring 2006 Report)
Initial 2006 paper on approaching
the CF controversy from a public interest point of view and through analysis of
public policy toward CF. Submitted to LBJ School Conference Course in March
2006. Provided as PDF file originally prepared in Microsoft Word.
This report also included a bibliographic
summary of the books, articles and websites consulted during the study. This
bibliography can be viewed by clicking here.
Besides the past and current initiatives listed above, several projects or activities are planned; these are listed below.
1. “Shaping the Energy Technology Transitions”
Course description (both general
and specific) for Policy Research Project planned by Charles G. Groat for academic year 2008-09 at the
2. Evidence-Based Public Policy toward Cold Fusion
Title and table of contents of
Professional Report in preparation for
3. Necessity for Rational (Evidence-Based) Policy-Making as Context for Setting Cold Fusion Policy
(In preparation)
4. Evidence-Based Mandate for a More Balanced Public Policy on Cold Fusion
(In preparation)
5. Concept for Implementing Open-Source-Science Research Support for Cold Fusion
(In preparation;
will be derived from above paper with expansion on specific recommendation.)
6. Toward a Comprehensive, Integrated, Public-Policy-Based Program Plan for Cold Fusion Research
(In preparation)
Summary of Strategy…
Cold fusion (CF) may, or may not, be real. If it turns out to be real, CF holds the promise of being among the most important beneficial natural phenomena for humankind so far discovered. It is also certainly one of the most controversial subjects dealt with by the scientific community in recent history. The public interest nonetheless demands that CF be given the best possible chance to be proven real and brought to beneficial fruition. The central premises of this website are as follows:
1. The negative assessment of CF in the initial period after its announcement in 1989 may have been flawed and resulted in an incorrect conclusion and public policy not in the public interest.
2. Continued research since then, although highly marginalized, has provided credible evidence that CF may yet prove to be real.
3. If eventually found to be real, CF holds promise to contribute substantially to human welfare worldwide.
4. The three factors listed above necessitate a fair, balanced and thorough re-evaluation of current public policy toward support of CF research.
A phenomenon with so much evidence of potentially being real and with so much importance to the future of humanity must necessarily be subjected to the limits of research to bring it to technological reality.
Last Update: June 2008