An idea that violates physical laws is just wishful thinking, no matter how big the potential payoff.
If experiments violate CURRENT laws of physics, the laws have to be revised. Guess how we came to our current atomic model from the plum pudding atom model?
a hypothesis is "a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation."
it's arguable whether "is cold fusion possible?" is a valid hypothesis, because currently there is no accepted reason, evidence, observation, or starting point for that investigation. only the hope, the wish: "what if it was..."
"it's arguable whether "is cold fusion possible?" is a valid hypothesis, because currently there is no accepted reason,"
I am not a nuclear physicist, but my chemistry is good enough to know that it should not be possible.
But take into consideration that Fleischmann was a pretty good chemist. Possible he fucked up. Looking backwards likely. But discussion is possible only based on date. Not believes what should or should not be possible.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleischmann%E2%80%93Pons_exper...