cold fusion

American  

noun

1. a hypothetical form of nuclear fusion postulated to occur at relatively low temperatures and pressures, as at room temperature and at one atmosphere.

---

cold fusion Cultural  

1. The fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium at room temperature. In 1989 two scientists announced that they had produced cold fusion in their laboratory, an achievement that — if true — would have meant a virtually unlimited cheap energy supply for humanity. When other scientists were unable to reproduce their results, the scientific community concluded that the original experiment had been flawed.

---

Etymology

Origin of cold fusion

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

He also supported and conducted research on cold fusion.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 9, 2022

The trick — or, maybe more aptly, the holy grail, the fountain of youth, Atlantis and cold fusion, stuffed into a spring roll — is to recognize now what won’t dissipate later.

From Washington Post • Jul. 1, 2021

The hydrogen plane is the industry’s recurrent dream, its equivalent of cold fusion or the driverless car.

From The Guardian • Sep. 29, 2020

The cold fusion controversy centered around unsubstantiated claims of practical fusion power at room temperatures.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

So much for “convergence theory,” which like EST or cold fusion went the way of most crackpot ideas.

From Salon • May 27, 2015