There is renewed interest across the world in cold fusion. The International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science in Chennai next week will be attended by 60 scientists working in this field from across the globe. M Srinivasan, chairman of the organising committee of the conference, is a retired BARC scientist and a pioneer in nuclear technology involved in the construction of India’s first fast reactor. He spoke to B. Sivakumar about current trends in cold fusion research and why it could be a source of limitless energy in the future:

What is the role of Indian scientists in this research?
Based on a small report in the Times of India on March 24, 1989 about cold fusion, 12 teams of scientists in BARC set up independent electrolytes and observed the phenomenon that was first made public by two US scientists. We were the biggest group responsible for the research at that time in the world. We found evidence of production of tritium and neutrons in the electrolysis. A separate book on the scientific findings was published by BARC. A US team visited BARC in December 1989, saw our findings and gave a positive report to the institute. Based on this report, funds were released for research in a US university.
What is the current status of research in cold fusion in India and abroad?
For all practical purposes, research in India has come to a standstill since the mid-1990s. I have been trying to keep scientists and the public informed about the breakthrough in nuclear energy. Unfortunately scientists still remain sceptics. Since 2008, some scientists in India have started to look at cold fusion with an open mind. But there’s still a long way to go for research to begin. At the international level research is underway in Russia, the US, Europe, South Korea, Japan and China. Around 300-400 scientists are involved in the research. On January 14, two scientists in Italy demonstrated production of 20 KW of energy using hydrogen and nickel in a lab.
What are the new findings on this issue in the past decade?
Transmutation reactions in electrolytic and gas loaded devices is one of the important observations made by the scientists involved in cold fusion research in the past decade. Use of nano-technology has also played an important role in the last three years.
What is the agenda of the forthcoming conference in Chennai?
This is the 16th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science, held in rotation between Russia, US, Europe and Asia. For the first time it is being held in India. The main aim of the conference is to draw the attention of the Indian scientific community to cold fusion. It is also an opportunity for the scientists to listen to the original researchers. Around 60 scientists from nine countries are participating in the meet.
Why is there opposition to the cold fusion theory?
There is opposition because the findings do not tally with textbook nuclear physics. However, scientists will have to think about nuclear and chemical reactions in a holistic way.
What is the future of this research?
Our dream is to have a small fusion power generator or pack with a capacity to produce 20-100 KW of energy in each house. Mankind needs a new source of energy and this could be a major source to meet the ever-increasing demand for power. The findings of this research could change the face of science.