> If nuclear scientists goof like this, it does not inspire confidence to the public and all we will end up is projects like Shoreham.

To be fair, the claims were made by grad students. Good on them for experimenting, hoping, testing, and failing. The true calamity would have never been to test.

Their failure is not a reflection of their character, ambition, or talent. Well perhaps a little bit their talent. But they could've done like many (most, arguably) grad students and worked on some fundamentally useless but "safe" path to ongoing work in the Ivory tower.

So let's hope they keep trying to identify and test the hard problems whose resolution would improve life for humans, and do better next time.