Without giving away any spoilers, one of the sub-plotlines in The Portent continues the theme of very human technology being behind the Cold War UFO flaps. Facade readers will recall that exotic Nazi science was the catalyst for this trajectory. The Portent explores this in some detail, specifically drawing on the work of Igor Witkowski and others that shows the Nazis were able to achieve nuclear power without a nuclear reactor through a series of chemical reactions. This method was at the heart of the mysterious “Bell” (Die Glocke) that those familiar with UFO lore will surely recognize. Specifically, the process underlying the power generated in the “Bell” used deuterium.

I couldn’t resist blogging about this after coming across this article tonight: “Do Nuclear Reactions Take Place Under Chemical Stimulation?” It’s from a 1996 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Scientific Exploration. Here’s the abstract:

Several examples of nuclear reactions occurring under the stimulation of chemical type energies are given. The production of tritium from deuterium in Pd has more than 100 published confirmations. Three models suggest circumstances such that barriers between nucleii may become transparent.

How about that?

Trust me, if you liked The Facade, you’ll love The Portent.