Cold Fusion: The Controversial Quest for Room-Temperature Nuclear Energy

Cold fusion is a hypothesized nuclear reaction that could produce energy at or near room temperature, unlike the extreme heat required in stars or experimental reactors. It gained fame in 1989 when scientists Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons claimed to observe it, but most attempts to replicate their results failed, leading to widespread skepticism. Despite this, a small community of researchers continues to study it under names like low-energy nuclear reactions (LENR), though it remains unproven and outside mainstream science.