Yes indeed, that is exactly what it is. Maybe something for trekkies? No, I guess this is unfair. To Star Trek fans. I take that back.
Anyway, here are some goodies from the announcements:
“it has been scientifically proven that elite scientists really can hold back scientific progress”.and
“One of the most promising is an ongoing one-year test of a heat plant producing one megawatt of thermal power—the average consumption of about 300 Western households, including electricity, space heating, water heating and air conditioning—from mere grams of harmless fuel.” (my emphasise)You see?
General statements and promises of hugh gains are made. Earlier critique is simply washed away as if it didn't exist. Such critique has been given in several posts on this blog, see, e.g., "How often does one have to kill the cat". It has actually been shown that fraud cannot be excluded or is even likely.
The critique is very severe (slight understatement). But believers rush elsewhere (maybe a case of displacement activity?) and make new bold promises in an attempt to blind the public, and, of course, potential investors: “One of the most promising is an ongoing one-year test of a heat plant producing one megawatt of thermal power—the average consumption of about 300 Western households, including electricity, space heating, water heating and air conditioning—from mere grams of harmless fuel."
Of course: this is just a statement, yet another claim not a proof. The proof will come from another test. Maybe. Eventually. Sometime in the future. With yet another E-Cat version. The typical moving target. As in most pseudoscientific adventures.
But Lewan, as an insider, claims that these new tests should give “good reasons to believe that the technology is valid”. I heard that before: we are just one tiny step away. Be patient ...
Regarding that new test I wonder: Is it public how the test is being made? What protocol? How to ensure that the serious problems from earlier tests are avoided (see, e.g., http://arxiv.org/abs/1306.6364)? Where is it made? Who is involved? Why is it secret? Where will the results be published? Who will scrutinize the validity of the results and claims?
Meanwhile, Lewan just knows that it will be a game changer, will be have "disruptive consequences" that "may literally change the world, promising Planet Earth clean water, zero-emission vehicles with unlimited mileage, a solution to the climate crisis and much more."
For pseudoscientific claims it is rather popular to cite well known scientists as general excuses. In this case Lewan uses a quote from Max Planck as support for the bold LENR claims: “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.”
Looking at the list of speakers, it seems more likely that LENR-believers eventually will die out.
