A sustainable energy transition and growing demands for energy will require creative and novel ideas in energy science to become reality. How should we evaluate novel claims? What are some of the most promising areas of research in breakthrough energy? George Hathaway is an experimental scientist and engineer whose career has focused on how to experimentally validate novel and breakthrough energy concepts. In our discussion, George shares his thoughts on some of the most innovative areas of research on breakthrough energy currently underway and how he examines and validates such claims for inventors and investors.