Steven B. Krivit's Explorations in Nuclear Research three-book series describes the emergence of a new field of science, one that bridges chemistry and physics. The books give readers an understanding of low-energy nuclear reaction (LENR) research and its history and provide a rare behind-the-scenes look at the players and personalities involved. The books present the results of in-depth historical research and draw on formerly inaccessible archives to describe what occurred in the research that has been mistakenly called "cold fusion."

LENRs are non-fusion-based nuclear reactions that can occur at or near room temperature. "Cold fusion" is an erroneous hypothesis of nuclear fusion reactions that occur at or near room temperature. For 100 years, most scientists have thought that nuclear reactions could occur only in high-energy physics experiments and in large nuclear reactors. The research discussed in these books shows otherwise: Nuclear reactions can also occur in small, benchtop experiments.

As of December 2016, the publication date of this series, the wider scientific community does not recognize LENRs as valid science, not even when distinguished from the erroneous idea of "cold fusion." Most scientists and science journalists are reluctant even to speak or write about the subject for fear of being associated with what they believe is pathological science. The stigma, sadly, is well-deserved. The reputation of the field suffers from the behavior of a few scientists who have been promoting fraudulent schemes and who refuse to relinquish their notion of room-temperature fusion. For these reasons, approaching the subject is extremely challenging for newcomers and nonspecialists. Land mines are easy to encounter; confusion is common. These books were written precisely to address that gap.

A plausible, logical explanation for LENRs, published in peer-reviewed journals, has been available for a decade, yet it has been understandably difficult for many people to grasp. The Widom-Larsen theory, which does not violate laws of physics, can explain most of the reported experimental phenomena. Despite the fact that the theory relies on conventional science, it requires understanding multiple disciplines, including plasmonics, condensed-matter physics, particle physics and quantum electrodynamics. It uses arcane mathematics, describes dynamic nucleosynthetic networks, and is based on collective many-body effects. For these reasons, the theory has been difficult to follow, particularly for scientists who lack access to a team with broad expertise. For the first time, Hacking the Atom helps make the Widom-Larsen theory accessible to readers who have a general understanding of science.

With the aid of charts and diagrams, three chapters in Hacking the Atom divide each of the major aspects of the theory into simple components, explain the concepts in ways that scientists and nonscientists can understand, and show the relationships among these components.

The primary aim of these books is to inform science and technology enthusiasts, journalists, decision makers, scientists, and investors about the facts and fallacies of the subject.

The secondary aim is to document the facts through interviews with living witnesses and newly uncovered archival documentation to provide a useful, authoritative, scholarly historical reference for the subject, to benefit science educators, science historians, and other scholars.

A third aim is to provide useful and accurate material for coursework in science ethics, science sociology, and research integrity programs, many of which have relied on largely erroneous, grossly incomplete, and outdated accounts of the subject.

Each of the three books in this series stands alone, covering a distinct period of scientific exploration.