Why Superconductor Research is in a 'Golden Age' - Despite Controversy (nature.com) 5
Davide Castelvecchi, writing for Nature: A Nature retraction last week has put to rest the latest claim of room-temperature superconductivity -- in which researchers said they had made a material that could conduct electricity without producing waste heat and without refrigeration. The retraction follows the downfall of an even more brazen claim about a supposed superconductor called LK-99, which went viral on social media earlier this year. Despite these high-profile setbacks, superconductivity researchers say the field is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance. "It's not a dying field -- on the contrary," says Lilia Boeri, a physicist who specializes in computational predictions at the Sapienza University of Rome. The progress is fuelled in part by the new capabilities of computer simulations to predict the existence and properties of undiscovered materials.
Much of the excitement is focused on 'super-hydrides -- hydrogen-rich materials that have shown superconductivity at ever-higher temperatures, as long as they are kept at high pressure. The subject of the retracted Nature paper was purported to be such a material, made of hydrogen, lutetium and nitrogen. But work in the past few years has unearthed several families of materials that could have revolutionary properties. "It really does look like we're on the hairy edge of being able to find a lot of new superconductors," says Paul Canfield, a physicist at Iowa State University in Ames and Ames National Laboratory.
Much of the excitement is focused on 'super-hydrides -- hydrogen-rich materials that have shown superconductivity at ever-higher temperatures, as long as they are kept at high pressure. The subject of the retracted Nature paper was purported to be such a material, made of hydrogen, lutetium and nitrogen. But work in the past few years has unearthed several families of materials that could have revolutionary properties. "It really does look like we're on the hairy edge of being able to find a lot of new superconductors," says Paul Canfield, a physicist at Iowa State University in Ames and Ames National Laboratory.
Now Featuring More Retractions Than Conductance (Score:3, Interesting)
And now, super-hydrides are the new darlings, with their high-pressure relationships and temperamental nature. It's the same old story: add enough pressure, and anything will conduct... or crack. It's like watching 'Firefly' and hoping for a second season - so much potential, yet so out of reach.
We've got computer simulations playing matchmaker, predicting the next big thing in superconductors. It's like using a dating app in the quantum realm - swipe right for higher temperatures, swipe left for magnetic interference.
But hey, we're living in a 'Golden Age' of research, where every retraction is just a plot twist. It's a roller coaster of emotions, much like every 'Star Wars' trilogy - starts with promise, middles with controversy, and ends with... well, more research.
In conclusion, superconductors may not be the heroes we wanted, but they're the enigmas we got. It's a journey filled with more twists than a 'Doctor Who' season finale. And just like the TARDIS, the field of superconductivity is bigger on the inside, filled with mysteries, missteps, and maybe, just maybe, a breakthrough that sticks. Until then, we'll keep our sci-fi fantasies ready, just in case
Re:Now Featuring More Retractions Than Conductance (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Room temperature, at least at high pressure, would be pretty much an incremental development. I think the record is at -15 C or something at the moment.
The new generation ybco wire might be pretty revolutionary too.
Re: (Score:3)
Ah, superconductors, the quantum mechanical equivalent of 'will they, won't they' in a geeky sitcom. Remember when LK-99 had us all in a tizzy, promising room-temp superconductivity? It's like that episode of Star Trek where they discover a new planet, only to find it's just a hologram. LK-99, the superconductor that wasn't - it's like getting a Gremlins sequel where the Gremlins turn out to be cuddly puppies.
And now, super-hydrides are the new darlings, with their high-pressure relationships and temperamental nature. It's the same old story: add enough pressure, and anything will conduct... or crack. It's like watching 'Firefly' and hoping for a second season - so much potential, yet so out of reach.
We've got computer simulations playing matchmaker, predicting the next big thing in superconductors. It's like using a dating app in the quantum realm - swipe right for higher temperatures, swipe left for magnetic interference.
But hey, we're living in a 'Golden Age' of research, where every retraction is just a plot twist. It's a roller coaster of emotions, much like every 'Star Wars' trilogy - starts with promise, middles with controversy, and ends with... well, more research.
In conclusion, superconductors may not be the heroes we wanted, but they're the enigmas we got. It's a journey filled with more twists than a 'Doctor Who' season finale. And just like the TARDIS, the field of superconductivity is bigger on the inside, filled with mysteries, missteps, and maybe, just maybe, a breakthrough that sticks. Until then, we'll keep our sci-fi fantasies ready, just in case
Something about that prose....
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Title: Superconductor Saga: Hype, Hope, and Hydrogen
Comment:
This whole superconductivity debacle is a classic example of the fine line between groundbreaking science and overhyped claims. The retraction in Nature is a sobering reminder of the challenges in this field. Yet, it's not all doom and gloom. The excitement around 'super-hydrides' is palpable, and rightly so. These hydrogen-rich materials are our be