From 1985 to 1993, Jones studied deuterium-based fusion in the context of condensed matter physics under DOE and Electric Power Research Institute sponsorship.
[citation needed] Jones' interests extend to archaeometry, solar energy,[10][11] and, like numerous professors at BYU, archaeology and the Book of Mormon.
[12] He has interpreted archaeological evidence from the ancient Mayans as supporting his faith's belief that Jesus Christ (when resurrected) visited America.
When Jones realized that their work was similar, he and Pons and Fleischmann agreed to release their papers to Nature on the same day (March 24, 1989).
Critics insisted that Jones' results were probably caused by experimental error;[18] the majority of the reviewing physicists claimed that he was a careful scientist.
[19] In July 2013, Jones gave a poster talk at the 18th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science at the University of Missouri, titled, "Empirical Evidence for Two Distinct Effects: Low-level d-d Fusion in Metals and Anomalous Excess Heat.
Jones noted he believed it was more likely a controlled demolition, using thermite, referencing the speed and symmetry of the collapses, and characteristics of dust jets.
It also appeared in a volume of essays, 9/11 and American Empire: Intellectuals Speak Out, edited by David Ray Griffin and Peter Dale Scott.
They noted that Jones' "hypotheses and interpretations of evidence were being questioned by scholars and practitioners," and expressed doubts on whether they had been "submitted to relevant scientific venues that would ensure rigorous technical peer review.
[37] His placement on paid leave drew criticism from the American Association of University Professors and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.
[40] In August 2008, Jones, along with Kevin Ryan and James Gourley, published a peer-reviewed article in The Environmentalist, titled, 'Environmental anomalies at the World Trade Center: Evidence for energetic materials'.
[41] In April 2009, Jones co-authored a paper in The Open Chemical Physics Journal, titled, 'Active Thermitic Material Discovered in Dust from the 9/11 World Trade Center Catastrophe'.