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Cold fusion (low-energy nuclear reactions)

Martin FleischmannStanley Pons

This page delivers no verdict; it presents claims and evidence with their sources. No theory in science is absolute. Method

For everyone

In 1989 Fleischmann and Pons announced that they had measured excess heat, not explainable by chemistry, in an electrolysis cell with a palladium electrode at room temperature, and that it might come from nuclear fusion. Many laboratories could not reproduce the result. A group of researchers continues the work under the name "LENR".

For specialists

The claim is that during electrolysis of heavy water on a palladium cathode, deuterons fuse within the lattice and release heat. The expected amounts of neutrons and tritium were not found in proportion to the measured heat. Replication attempts at Caltech, MIT and Harwell were negative. The US Department of Energy reviewed the subject in 1989 and 2004; in 2004 panellists were divided and further research on specific questions was recommended. A multi-institution programme funded by Google in 2019 also found no excess heat or nuclear products, while noting that the conditions tested did not rule the claim out entirely.

Claims

Evidence

Supporting

Experiment

The original experiment reported heat exceeding input power that could not be explained by chemical reactions.[1]

Experiment

LENR researchers have compiled many later experiments reporting excess heat.[4]

Challenging

Replication study

A detailed replication at Caltech found no excess heat, neutrons, gamma rays or tritium.[2]

Replication study

The 2019 multi-institution programme found no evidence of excess heat or nuclear products.[3]

Positions

US Department of Energy review (2004)
Most panellists did not find the evidence for excess heat convincing; support for well-designed experiments on specific questions was recommended.[5]

Connections

Parent

Energy

Related

Fusion energy and ignition

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Sources

  1. ArticleFleischmann, M.; Pons, S. (1989). Electrochemically induced nuclear fusion of deuterium. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry 261(2), 301–308DOI 10.1016/0022-0728(89)80006-3archive
  2. ArticleLewis, N. S. et al. (1989). Searches for low-temperature nuclear fusion of deuterium in palladium. Nature 340, 525–530DOI 10.1038/340525a0archive
  3. ArticleBerlinguette, C. P. et al. (2019). Revisiting the cold case of cold fusion. Nature 570, 45–51DOI 10.1038/s41586-019-1256-6archive
  4. BookStorms, E. (2007). The Science of Low Energy Nuclear Reaction: A Comprehensive Compilation of Evidence and Explanations about Cold Fusion. World Scientific, Singapore
  5. ReportUS Department of Energy, Office of Science (2004). Report of the Review of Low Energy Nuclear Reactions. US DOE, Washington DC

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Cite this page

APA

Athena contributors. (2026). Cold fusion (low-energy nuclear reactions). Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/soguk-fuzyon/

BibTeX
@misc{athena_soguk_fuzyon,
  title        = {Cold fusion (low-energy nuclear reactions)},
  author       = {{Athena contributors}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/soguk-fuzyon/}},
  note         = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}

Added: September 27, 2026 · Last changed: September 27, 2026 · Page history

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