Part 2/9:
The announcement made by Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons in 1989 regarding cold fusion came at a tumultuous time for hot fusion research. Their claims challenged conventional physics and disrupted the status quo. While academia was heavily reliant on government funding for hot fusion research, the political climate and scientific skepticism regarding the announcement further compounded the tension. Many were not prepared for such a breakthrough, especially since cold fusion defied the very principles of nuclear chemistry taught in classrooms.