A Superconductor Scandal?

• By Shannon Hall on August 20, 2018

The discovery would change the world. From power grids that never lose energy to magnetically levitating trains, finding a material that is superconductive at room temperature would bring a range of fantastical technologies to life. And it is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Although superconductors—materials that can transmit electricity with zero resistance—exist only at extremely frigid temperatures today, there is no physical reason why they cannot also work at room temperature. It could simply be that no one has stumbled upon the magical formula yet. But that might be about to change. In a study posted to the arXiv in late July, Dev Kumar Thapa and Anshu Pandey, two scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, suggest a concoction of gold and silver nanoparticles achieves the Nobel Prize–worthy goal. The finding, from a reputable team, was initially met with both excitement and skepticism as physicists cautiously took a closer look. But the story has since prompted disbelief and even a little drama. . . .