Posted on 02/10/2012 8:47:23 PM PST by Kevmo
Billionaire Sidney Kimmel to Donate $5.5 to Fund University of Missouri Cold Fusion Research
February 11, 2012
The Columbia Daily Tribune is reporting that Sidney Kimmel, Chairman of the Board of Directors and founder of Jones Apparel Group, Inc., is donating $5.5 million through his charitable foundation to fund studies in the field of cold fusion at the University of Missouri.
The purpose of the gift is to try to understand the ‘pure science’ behind the excess heat that is generated in many cold fusion/LENR experiments. Kimmel’s gift will establish the Sidney Kimmel Institute for Nuclear Renaissance, or SKINR, at MU.
Rob Duncan, vice chancellor for research at the university, has been a leading proponent for trying to fully understand the phenomenon of cold fusion. He featured in the 2009 60 Minutes TV program in which he expressed surprise at evidence he examined in favor of cold fusion in experimental results he examined. In a 2010 interview with the Columbia Daily Tribune Duncan said, “When we see a phenomenon that surprises us, we should approach it with the scientific method and with curiosity . . . The problem here is the problem you traditionally have with new technology. Everyone wants to jump ahead to try to figure out what it may end up being … but what you really need to do is say, ‘This is something we haven’t seen or understood before; let’s try to understand it.’ “
Sidney Kimmel’s gift is an important development in the scientific exploration of the cold fusion/LENR phenomenon — one that could lead to a greater understanding of the physics involved, and which may lead to more and better technologies that are based on it. Kimmel’s motivation behind the gift is a traditionally philanthropic one. “Very much like my commitments to cancer research, I believe in investing for America’s future generations. I chose the University of Missouri for this important gift because it is a comprehensive university, experienced in using its deep scientific research capacity across many fields with its firm commitment to serve the public good. This may be futuristic, but when it comes to energy, our future is now.”
http://ecatnow.com/2012/02/11/billionaire-sidney-kimmel-to-donate-5-5-to-fund-university-of-missouri-cold-fusion-research/
The Cold Fusion Ping List
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/coldfusion/index?tab=articles
-------------------------------------------------------------- http://ecatnews.com/?p=1144
Note the typo, he donated $5.5Million
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/feb/10/billionaire-helps-fund-mu-energy-research/
The Cold Fusion Ping List
http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/coldfusion/index?tab=articles
——————————————————————————————— http://ecatnews.com/?p=1144
I think five dollars and change is overpaying.
Did ya give up on the other guy? Is he still in the picture?
Billionaire helps fund MU energy research
By Janese Silvey
http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/feb/10/billionaire-helps-fund-mu-energy-research/
Columbia Daily Tribune
Published February 10, 2012 at 11:21 a.m.
Updated February 10, 2012 at 11:22 a.m.
The founder of an apparel company has given the University of Missouri $5.5 million to study new sources of clean energy.
Sidney Kimmel
Sidney Kimmel, founder and chairman of The Jones Group — which includes brands such as Anne Klein, Nine West and Gloria Vanderbilt — donated the money through his charitable foundation. Kimmel, who has never been on MU’s campus, said in a statement that he chose the university because it is has research capacity across several fields and is interested in benefiting society.
It is the largest gift from a private individual who has no ties to MU, said Catey Terry, a spokeswoman in the development office.
The money will be used to create the Sidney Kimmel Institute for Nuclear Renaissance, SKINR, which will involve researchers from the MU Research Reactor and physics, engineering and chemistry departments.
Mostly, MU scientists will be trying to figure out why excess heat has been observed when hydrogen or deuterium interacts with materials such as palladium, nickel or platinum under extreme conditions. Researchers don’t know how the heat is created, nor can they duplicate the results on a consistent basis.
“It’s a chance to turn cold confusion to real understanding and opportunity,” said Rob Duncan, MU’s vice chancellor for research.
Since researchers Martin Fleischmann and Stanley Pons declared they had observed tabletop energy, scientists have been scrambling to re-create the phenomenon. Once dubbed “cold fusion,” some now refer to the process as a low-energy nuclear reaction. Some companies have even been trying to find marketplace applications for the excess heat, even though it’s not consistent.
Duncan has called on the scientific community to stop trying to label the phenomenon before figuring out what causes it. The gift, he said, will let MU’s research team focus on the pure science without being distracted by trying to find uses for it.
If MU researchers were to be the first to figure out what is fundamentally occurring when excess heat is created, it would be incredible, Duncan said. But he also wants the team to focus on basic science, not the hype.
“Until we know what this is, I’m not going to speculate wildly about what it may lead to,” he said. “Let’s figure it out and go from there.”
Kimmel is one of four billionaires in the United States who have given more than half of their wealth to philanthropy, according to Business Week. Since 1993, the Sidney Kimmel Foundation and its foundation for cancer research have committed more than $750 million to philanthropic causes.
Kimmel first called Duncan after the latter appeared on a CBS “60 Minutes” episode about cold fusion. Two weeks ago, Duncan found out about the gift, which also includes some new equipment.
In his statement, Kimmel said he believes in investing in causes that benefit future generations. “This may be futuristic,” he said, referring to the science, “but when it comes to energy, our future is now.”
Reach Janese Silvey at 573-815-1705 or e-mail jsilvey@columbiatribune.com.
This will be my standard post to moonboy that says you’re not worth trying to have reasonable discussion, also says “buzz off” & doesn’t leave crickets. But if it offends you to the point that you get it removed like my prior innocuous citation then I’ll have to come up with some other ‘ignore button’ post.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/backroom/2800058/posts?page=55#55
To: Moonman62
This means I have nothing more to say to you about LENR. Bye.
55 posted on Sunday, October 30, 2011 4:41:07 PM by Kevmo (Caveat lurkor pro se ipso judicatis: Let the lurker decide for himself)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
Dont worry about not answering me but I did want you to know I wasnt giving you a hard time ....I just havent kept up
A worthy endeavor.
Powder..patch..ball FIRE!
That’s because you only spew, White Noise, and its NOT your money getting invested. Just look away.
Excellent news. I hope they corral the right personnel. And some of that cash needs to be reserved for consultants (McKubre, Ahern, and others) with real experience with the experimentation involved.
I think he should dump another $5.5M on NEWT, who has the vision to support such science with private money rather than the gov’t doing it with taxpayer dollars.
You’re off on that one. The only candidate so far to mention LENR positively is Romney. That ain’t enough for me to vote for the RINO.
That is, **if** cold fusion is real (and that is highly doubtful). At least Mr. Kimmel does understand the role of real scientists and actual research facilities. **If** there is anything to cold fusion, it is only through bona fide research that it will be uncovered.
This is worlds apart from the claims of a certain con-man with which we are all familiar.
That is, **if** cold fusion is real
***If you want to debate that, I’m game. We’d need an agreement on the ground rules.
Quite simply, **if** there is cold fusion, research establishing such will be published in the top peer-review journals, and the experimental evidence will be replicable by anyone with access to the proper equipment and supplies. I would expect, were such a phenomenon demonstrable, a lot of scientists would flock to study that particular field. In my experience, scientists love new toys and new things to play with, and cold fusion would be just that kind of toy.
What is certain is that the legitimacy of cold fusion will not be established in forums or on the blogosphere.
As I said, we would need an agreement on the ground rules.
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