The term "cold fusion" is an awkward proposition in academia because it is often accompanied by nothing interesting.

The concept first appeared in the twenties of the last century, when two German chemists, Pannis and Peters, proposed the idea of nuclear fusion reaction at room temperature in 1926. They discovered helium in the permeate by passing hydrogen through heated palladium-asbestos, and they assumed that a fusion reaction had occurred, and published their findings in Nature.

The paper caused an immediate sensation, but it was quickly criticized by Rutherford, then president of the Royal Society. In fact, in the follow-up experiment, the two did not repeat this experiment, and in the end, the whole incident was identified as an oolong, ending with the retraction of Nature.

The end of the eighties was probably the highest in the entire cold nuclear fusion research. Tide. At a press conference at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, Fleischman and Pons unveiled their latest findings. That is, continuous nuclear fusion is achieved on a palladium electrode at room temperature with a special heavy water electrode device.

At the time, this discovery broke through the traditional notion that nuclear fusion could only be carried out at hundreds of millions of degrees of heat, and also gave a new dawn to the researchers of controlled fusion, who had been unable to fulfill their promises. The craze generated by this sensational effect soon swept the whole of North America and even the world, including Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Princeton PPPL Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and other more than dozens of research institutions, and even IBM's private laboratory, all participated in this race to chase new energy, and the media called the research results of the two "the sun in the test tube".

However, the good times did not last long, from the signing of a cooperative research and development agreement between the American nuclear power giant and the experimental team of the University of Utah, to the Italian Ministry of Scientific Research emphasizing the priority of "cold nuclear fusion research", the Belgian Office of the Secretary of State for Scientific Research held a special expert meeting, and the Moscow University of the Soviet Union mobilized a first-class research team to prepare for the comprehensive rollout of cold fusion research...... and then to the last coolness, not even a year.

And this worldwide farce has also completely consumed the enthusiasm of the academic community for cold fusion. Although there are still quite a few scientific research teams still persevering in this field, because the research of thermonuclear fusion was once half-dead, let alone cold nuclear fusion, which is a big headache to hear.

At present, the attitude of the entire academic community is to put aside the controversy and not to deny it outright, but basically there is no hope.

As for whether there is a technical route that seems to work......

There are still things that I have to say.

For example, "acoustic fusion".

Although the word doesn't sound very reliable.

Leaving the scene of the report meeting, Sheng Xianfu did not go to find Lu Zhou, but came to the Institute of Acoustics of Jinling University.

Around the end of the 80s, the whole world was engaged in the study of cold fusion, and Huaguo, which has been closely following the trends of the international academic community, is no exception. For example, the scientific research team led by Professor Chen Weizhong of the Institute of Acoustics of Jinda University once engaged in this topic of "acoustic fusion", but unfortunately, it ended in failure.

It has been concluded so far that although it cannot be fused, it can emit light.

As for why it glows, it's uncertain.

Before he could complete the blueprint in his mind, he needed to seek some help from the research of his predecessors......

"Data from cold fusion experiments more than thirty years ago?" After listening to Sheng Xianfu explain his intentions, Professor Chen Weizhong suddenly sneered, shook his head and said, "You guys are wasting time. ”

"How do you know if you don't give it a try?" Sheng Xianfu tried to persuade the old man.

"Give it a try? It took me ten years to give it a try, and it proved that this path is not going to work, and I don't want you juniors to try it again," Chen Weizhong smiled a little self-deprecatingly, and continued, "I wasted half of the funds of the Institute of Acoustics back then, and finally made a pile of waste paper, and now let you waste a lot of time and waste the country's resources to do this experiment?" My conscience is not passing. ”

It can be seen that the old professor has been completely disheartened by the research of acoustic fusion.

But it is true that I wasted ten years of my life and threw myself on a road that did not work. This has not only disappointed his own scientific research career and the expectations of the institute, but also the students and researchers who have followed him in this research.

However......

"I don't think it's waste paper," Sheng Xianfu said seriously, staring at the old professor's cloudy pupils, "It's just that it hasn't played its due value yet." ”

After staring at Sheng Xianfu for a long time, the old professor didn't say anything, slowly stood up, and left the office.

After about five minutes, the old man walked in through the door again with a crumpled notebook.

"The Institute of Acoustics doesn't have a lot of money, and when I started this project, I was hoping to make some achievements...... But in the end, it failed," calmly handed this data into Sheng Xianfu's hands, Professor Chen Weizhong looked at Sheng Xianfu, and continued, "If this thing can help you a little, you can use it well." ”

If it really comes in handy......

He felt that he would feel a little better in his heart.

Taking over the notebook containing the experimental data, Sheng Xianfu nodded solemnly: "I will use it properly." ”

……

After getting the experimental data, Sheng Xianfu returned to the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study and began to sketch the blueprint in his heart.

When he was in the Southwest, he studied plasma physics and was more engineering than theoretical. Now he suddenly had to do research in the direction of theory, and he obviously felt that it was difficult for him.

Many things he had not touched for a long time, and he had even forgotten them now, so in addition to reading the literature, in some places he even had to resort to reference books to complete theoretical deductions.

Fortunately, these difficulties can be overcome.

It took him ten days to study and study, and he finally completed the paper on "Technical Feasibility Demonstration of Fusion Reaction at Relatively Low Temperatures", and took this paper to Lu Zhou's office.

When he arrived at the office, Lu Zhou was thinking about something on the scratch paper on the table.

Knocking lightly on the door, Sheng Xianfu spoke.

"I'm coming."

Without stopping the pen in his hand, Lu Zhou simply asked, "Well, is there something wrong?" ”

"I have a little bit of a ...... about the miniaturization of controlled fusion Other ideas," he glanced at the paper in his hand, and was about to step forward to hand it over to Lu Zhou, but Sheng Xianfu was a little undecided.

"Isn't it convenient to show me?"

"That's not it," Sheng Xianfu smiled a little awkwardly, and finally made up his mind and put the paper on his desk, "That's it...... Don't laugh at me when you see it. ”

"How so?"

Stopping the pen in his hand, Lu Zhou picked up the paper from the table and read it carefully line by line.

In this way, time passed minute by minute.

Sheng Xianfu, who was standing at the desk, anxiously waiting for the result, slowly took a deep breath for the tenth time.

And at this moment, Lu Zhou finally finished reading the paper in his hand and said with a smile.

"You've got a lot of imagination."

Sheng Xianfu had a bitter smile on his face.

Didn't you say you wouldn't laugh at me?

Coughing lightly, he explained.

"I think it's quite rich, don't take it seriously, this thing is just my whims-"

"You don't need to admit mistakes, academic discussions should not presuppose the premise of being right or wrong, we all have the possibility of making mistakes in the face of the truth, and we all have the possibility of being right," interrupting him, Lu Zhou gently put the paper on the table, looked at him and continued, "What's more, this time we also thought of a piece." ”