COLD FUSION

In 1989 two chemists announced cold fusion in a bottle, but most reviewers say the effects are not reproducible.  They do not believe that cold fusion is an accepted theory in physics.  As a result many scientists will not work on experiments where atoms are excited and fused together by some means other than very high temperature and pressure.  But, scientists at UCLA obtained relatively cold fusion by using a very powerful electric field to slam atoms together instead of using intense heat or pressure to get nuclei close enough together to fuse.  This experiment has been repeated successfully and other scientists have reviewed the results: It looks like the real thing this time.  But they still have not been able to get more energy out than what was put in.

Electronics has advanced considerably since the 1950's and if scientists are now willing to look at electronic means to "slam atoms together," or excite them enough to fuse them together, there is a good chance for a breakthrough soon!  It may be people working in basements and garages who will discover how to get excess energy out of nuclear fusion.  Or it may have already happened, but not announced to the world.  Because it is very hard, if not impossible, to obtain a meaningful patent on a process that does not conform to current physics theory.

See DIA assesment.