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Re:The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor by CamperBob2 on Tuesday July 25, 2023 @02:28PM (#36867095)
The recipe in the paper is so simple that it's giving me Pons-Fleischmann vibes. It reads more like an entry from an alchemist's journal, reproducible with chemicals and equipment you could buy on eBay or Amazon.

So, yeah: big if true.

Re:The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor by kridsdale3 on Tuesday July 25, 2023 @03:19PM (#36867916)
Silicon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth and for thousands of years humans had no idea what would be possible with very controlled etching of it.
Re:The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor by Terr_ on Tuesday July 25, 2023 @05:12PM (#36869648)
Mildly-topical Terry Pratchett amusement quote, since it involves a society that has overlooked the power of silicon plus the potential of superconductivity:

> Detritus blinked. There was a tinkle of falling ice. Odd things were happening in his skull. Thoughts that normally ambulated sluggishly around his brain were suddenly springing into vibrant, coruscating life. And there seemed to be more and more of them.

> 'My goodness,' he said, to no-one in particular.

> This was a sufficiently un-troll-like comment that even Cuddy, whose extremities were already going numb, stared at him.

> 'I do believe,' said Detritus, 'that I am genuinely cogitating. How very interesting!'

> 'What do you mean?'

> More ice cascaded off Detritus as he rubbed his head.

> 'Of course!' he said, holding up a giant finger. 'Superconductivity!'

> 'Wha'?'

> 'You see? Brain of impure silicon. Problem of heat dissipation. Daytime temperature too hot, processing speed slows down, weather gets hotter, brain stops completely, trolls turn to stone until nightfall, ie, colder-temperature,however,lowertemperatureenough,brain operatesfasterand—'

> [...] Detritus sat down again. Life was so simple, when you really thought about it. And he was really thinking. He was seventy-six per cent sure he was going to get at least seven degrees colder.

-- Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett

Re:The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor by floxy on Tuesday July 25, 2023 @03:38PM (#36868180)
I wonder if anyone has tried to contact one of the authors to confirm the paper is legitimate (i.e. someone isn't spoofing the author's names in order to create chaos).
Re:The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor by guerrilla on Tuesday July 25, 2023 @04:58PM (#36869414)
Good thinking. I'm guessing journalists lurk here so we'll probably find out soon enough.
Re:The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor by gene-h on Tuesday July 25, 2023 @03:58PM (#36868444)
This isn't too different from how conventional high temperature superconductors are made.[0] A converted pottery kiln can be used to make them

[0]https://www.greenoptimistic.com/make-superconductor-home/