What exactly is "coal" (or "cold"?") "fusion"?

Question

I think it's some kind of alternate-energy source... but how does it work? and how close is it to becoming a replacement for our current ways?

Also, is it stable at the moment? How much longer could it be before my neighborhood, for example, is ran by it?

I heard something like "1 drop of water could power a whole city for a year"... How the heck is that possible?!

Thanks.

Answer 1

A daydream, or a con.

Answer 2

There is NO scientific evidence that ta true "cold fusion" reaction of any type has ever occurred.

It would be a desirable energy source if it were true, but so far there aren't even any realistic ways to approach the problem.

A clean nuclear fusion reaction would produce tremendous amounts of energy without a lot of nuclear radiation and waste.

A typical fusion reaction requires so much pressure and heat that there is NO vessel that can possibly contain the reaction.

That problem is being worked on, using electro-magnetic force fields as the container, but no real success yet. - Then, that isn't a "cold-fusion" reaction.

Answer 3

Cold fusion is a nuclear fusion reaction which its proponents claim occurs well below the temperature required for thermonuclear reactions (millions of degrees Celsius) in a relatively small "table top" apparatus. A variety of experimental methods are used; originally electrolytic cells. The idea was first brought into popular consciousness by the Fleischmann-Pons experiment in March of 1989, which was front-page news for some time, and has been controversial ever since. Cold fusion is sometimes referred to as low energy nuclear reactions (LENR) or chemically-assisted nuclear reactions (CANR).