From: Andrew Johnson
Date: 2008-05-23 17:37:42
Arata-Zhang LENR DemonstrationBy Steven B. Krivit New Energy Times May 22, 2008 OSAKA, JAPAN — Against a monumental backdrop of bad publicity for cold fusion since 1989, researchers in Japan on May 22 demonstrated the production of excess heat and helium-4, the results of an historic low-energy nuclear reaction experiment. Yoshiaki Arata receiving Preparata Award in 2007 Photo: S.B. Krivit The mastermind behind the demonstration is Yoshiaki Arata, a highly respected physicist in Japan who has been the recipent of Japan’s highest award, the Emperor’s Prize, and is the first person to have performed thermonuclear fusion research in Japan. A lecture by Arata preceded the demonstration before a live audience in Arata Hall (named in his honor) at the Joint and Welding Research Institute at Osaka University. The demonstration took place in the Osaka University Advanced Science Innovation Center with the help of Arata’s associate, Yue Chang Zhang. Professor Akito Takahashi of Osaka University was an eyewitness to the demonstration. “Arata and Zhang demonstrated very successfully the generation of continuous excess energy (heat) from ZrO2-nano-Pd sample powders under D2 gas charging and generation of helium-4,” Takahashi wrote. “The demonstrated live data looked just like data they reported in their published papers (J. High Temp. Soc. Jpn, Feb. and March issues, 2008). This demonstration showed that the method is highly reproducible.” Takahashi wrote that 60 people from universities and companies in Japan and a few people from other countries attended, as well as representatives from six major newspapers (Asahi, Nikkei, Mainichi, NHK, et al.) and two television stations. In an earlier conversation with New Energy Times, Arata offered his perspective on “cold fusion” research, which is now known more properly as low-energy nuclear reaction research. “Some people say we have reached the end of science, that there are no more great discoveries that remain. In my view, nature always has more secrets to reveal,” Arata wrote. “I always stay on guard not to be too possessed by my own current knowledge. History has shown us repeatedly, for example, the foolishness of denying ‘heliocentricism,’ which resulted from individuals adhering too strongly to their own knowledge or to what was common sense in the past.” New Energy Times will have a more complete report in the next issue on July 10. Arata-Zhang Demo Announcement
