Europium's Superconductivity Demonstrated

gabrlknght writes "An old element just learned a new trick under pressure. When cooled and squeezed very hard, the soft metallic element europium turns into a superconductor, allowing electrons to flow unfettered by resistance, a study appearing May 13 in Physical Review Letters shows. The results make europium the 53rd of the 92 naturally occurring elements to possess superconductivity, which, if harnessed, could make for more efficient energy transfer."

Comments

Re:I always knew it

[Anonymous Coward]

The metal americium becomes superconducting at temperatures as high as 0.79 K ...
Submitted on February 13, 1978

Superconductivity of Americium

It isn't better

[ChrisMaple]

This is not a high temperature superconductor. It only superconducts under 2 degrees K, when compressed to an extreme degree. It is of academic interest only.