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World's Only Sample of Metallic Hydrogen Has Been Lost (ibtimes.co.uk)
New submitter drunkdrone quotes a report from International Business Times: A piece of rare meta poised to revolutionize modern technology and take humans into deep space has been lost in a laboratory mishap. The first and only sample of metallic hydrogen ever created on earth was the rarest material on the planet when it was developed by Harvard scientists in January this year, and had been dubbed "the holy grail of high pressure physics." The metal was created by subjecting liquid hydrogen to pressures greater that those at the center of the Earth. At this point, the molecular hydrogen breaks down and becomes an atomic solid. Scientists theorized that metallic hydrogen -- when used as a superconductor -- could have a transformative effect on modern electronics and revolutionize medicine, energy and transportation, as well as herald in a new age of consumer gadgets. Sadly, an attempt to study the properties of metallic hydrogen appears to have ended in catastrophe after one of the two diamonds being used like a vice to hold the tiny sample was obliterated. The metal was being held between two diamonds at a pressure of around 71.7 million pounds per square inch -- more than a third greater than at the Earth's core. According to The Independent, one of these diamonds shattered while the sample was being measured with a laser, and the metal was lost in the process.
Hydrogen was not lost. It just sublimated.
No chance in hell we will use metallic hydrogen due to pressures required.
But do they mean lost as in "it fell on the floor or something and is so small no one can find it?" or lost as in "it was metallic hydrogen but during the mishap it became something other than metallic hydrogen?"
In either case, why don't they just repeat the process and create more?
What, repeat an experiment with surprising one off results?
You, sir, obviously have not spent enough time around modern academia!
Once you get the result you *want*, you then spend 100% of your time writing, publishing, hyping, funding, and publishing some more.
No one REPEATS experiments, my god, you may not get the same result! All that effort wasted!
Sad, isnt it.
Seriously .. scientist working at the extreme limits are criticised by talentless keyboard jockeys because of equpitment failure. Click bait shit at it's most disgusting. These men and women doing this work should be praised and admired not mocked by morons.