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Superconductor Research Points To New Phase of Matter

unil_1005 writes "Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that a puzzling gap in the electronic structures of some high-temperature superconductors could indicate a new phase of matter. Understanding this 'pseudogap' has been a 20-year quest for researchers who are trying to control and improve these breakthrough materials, with the ultimate goal of finding superconductors that operate at room temperature. 'Our findings point to management and control of this other phase as the correct path toward optimizing these novel superconductors for energy applications, as well as searching for new superconductors,' said Zhi-Xun Shen of the Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Science."

9 of 59 comments (clear)

  1. Boring. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    It don't matter to me.

    1. Re:Boring. by fotoflojoe · · Score: 2

      Your post made me laugh. The replies made me sad, knowing that Sheldon Cooper is alive and well.

    2. Re:Boring. by CnlPepper · · Score: 2

      We don't appreciate it because it was lame.

  2. What about Bose Einstein Condensate? by VMaN · · Score: 2

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bose%E2%80%93Einstein_condensate

    1. Re:What about Bose Einstein Condensate? by hedwards · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wouldn't that make a zero-friction liquid, superfluous?

  3. That's because... by earls · · Score: 4, Funny

    They're the only phases that matter.

  4. Re:4th? How about 6th? Or 7th? by blueg3 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Plasma is the fourth "common" phase of matter.

    Bose-Einstein condensates and other novel phase are also phases, but aren't exhibited in all materials.

    For that matter, most solids, particularly crystalline solids, have many different phases that correspond to different crystalline structures.

    Also, "liquid" and "gas" aren't always distinct phases.

  5. Re:4th? How about 6th? Or 7th? by Biff+Stu · · Score: 2

    I believe that the GP is referring to supercritical fluids.

  6. This... by mpdolan37 · · Score: 2

    does not phase me.

    --
    Facts are useless, they can be used to prove anything.