Alberto Carpintieri, professor of Structural Sciences at the Polytechnic University of Turin, and Fabio Cardone, physicist, published controversial results on the observed piezonuclear fission of elements such as iron and nickel in granite or basalt compressed at high pressures, resulting in neutron emission. The research, following a letter signed by hundreds of scientists, was withheld from funding by the Ministry of Scientific Research, following a decision made by Minister Profumo in June 2012.
