More Mitt Romney science: He believes University of Utah 'solved' cold fusion

[trailmonkee]

Source: Daily Kos

Captain Seamus in December 2011 (audio clip below the fold), rolling down the window on what he believes to be true about cold fusion:

I do believe in basic science. I believe in participating in space. I believe in analysis of new sources of energy. I believe in laboratories, looking at ways to conduct electricity with -- with cold fusion, if we can come up with it. It was the University of Utah that solved that. We somehow can’t figure out how to duplicate it.
Um. I'll be gentle here. Other than to point out this New York Times article, published on May 3, 1989—more than 22 years earlier—completely debunking Mitt Romney's cold fusion claim.
Physicists Debunk Claim Of a New Kind of Fusion
By MALCOLM W. BROWNE, SPECIAL TO THE NEW YORK TIMES

BALTIMORE—Hopes that a new kind of nuclear fusion might give the world an unlimited source of cheap energy appear to have been dealt a devastating blow by scientific evidence presented here.

In two days of meetings lasting until midnight, members of the American Physical Society heard fresh experimental evidence from many researchers that nuclear fusion in a jar of water does not exist.

Physicists seemed generally persuaded as the sessions ended that assertions of "cold fusion" were based on nothing more than experimental errors by scientists in Utah.

Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/09/24/1135928/-More-Mitt-Romney-science-He-believes-University-of-Utah-solved-cold-fusion

[ThoughtCriminal]

1. "We somehow can’t figure out how to duplicate it"

Neutrons must need a tax cut.

[Festivito]

19. That's the ticket. Time to invest Mitt.

Put that money where your mouth is. Lots of it. Jam it tight. Best investment you can make.

[yourout]

2. Nah....that was his running mate.

[aletier_v]

3. Ahem

http://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Yet-Another-Successful-LENR-Device-Enters-the-Race.html

http://news.newenergytimes.net/2012/09/23/epri-and-toyota-resume-support-for-lenr-research/

http://www.google.com/trends/?q=lenr

[Jessy169]

4. Problem is, you have to be pretty smart to know how dumb Romney is on this one

If someone said to me, hey, everybody knows what cold fusion is, then I'd have to point and Romney and say "he doesn't". What a dumbass...

[trailmonkee]

7. I just think it's hilarious that he goes around talking shit about cold-fusion? who does that?

[dimbear]

14. I have to say that as a graduate of that institution, it's embarrassing that that

is the source of its fame.


*didn't turn out such good typists, either.

[dimbear]

5. I don't like to give Mitt a leg up, but here goes anyway: Zero Point Energy.

If you're going to believe in magic, go for that.

[yourout]

6. something like this?

http://stargate.wikia.com/wiki/Zero_Point_Module

[Cobalt-60]

11. Zero Point would be nice

But I don't think we'll be collecting any.
(edited for atrocious typing!)

[trailmonkee]

12. but it's zero points... he would at least want a few points for it... right?

[gordianot]

8. If someone were to come up with cold fusion expect bodies in the ditch.

Since Mitt makes that claim and is still walking it is a typical Romney myth.

[jsr]

9. I want them to find Joe Smith's gold plates

[central scrutinizer]

13. Here's an oxymoron for you: BYU History Department

Talk about academic fraud

[Cobalt-60]

10. Cold Fusion is no fun

There's no star hot torus of plasma glowing in the stellerator.
and there's no "theta pinch" device in which to crush steel cans.

[central scrutinizer]

15. What's next? a chronosynclastic infundibulum?

[Sedona]

16. Gesundheit!

[nolabear]

17. A hundred points for Vonnegut ref!

[IDemo]

18. "conduct electricity with -- with cold fusion"?

Perhaps he was mistaking superconductors with cold fusion?

[4th law of robotics]

20. Win-win solution: energy harvesting pods ala The Matrix

Unemployed people can volunteer to be put in one during which time they are given an alternative reality that offers them useful job training opportunities.

After a certain period of time they can be let out with their new skills and some fair compensation for the energy the produced.

And given that most of the country is obese we could have people living off their fat stores (converting that to heat energy) most of the time so they come out slim and relatively healthy.

Win-win-win.