| I wanted to believe in cold fusion.
I thought, Our brilliant scientists can figure out so many wonderful things. Why not an abundant source of clean nuclear energy?
I now concede that, to the best of my awareness, it's not fusion. But hang on - the experiments still prove the discovery of a potentially abundant source of clean nuclear energy, not from fusion but probably from electroweak interactions.
Is the distinction important? Absolutely. Nothing has interfered with the progress and respectability of the field more than the impression that its proponents are either true believers or fools.
I don't mind admitting that I was wrong when I told people that "cold fusion" was real. I didn't know any better when I wrote my first book.
The people who told me they had evidence of "cold fusion" had Ph.D.s and extensive careers in science. When they claimed to see experimental results consistent with D-D "cold fusion," I believed them. That's generally what we do as science journalists.
Years - 10 so far - of my continued investigations and development of my understanding of science, particularly of nuclear physics, persuades me of the ever-diminishing evidence for "cold fusion."
My presentation "2010 American Chemical Society Review of Low-Energy Nuclear Reaction Research" explains the reality of LENR and the mythology of cold fusion.
(Slides) 2010 American Chemical Society Review of Low-Energy Nuclear Reaction Research
| 
