Why we are finally within reach of a room temperature superconductor

It would be unfair to call this a philosopher’s stone, but there is something enticing about the search for a room-temperature superconductor. This material would be able to transmit electricity perfectly, without any resistance. It could capture renewable energy where it is abundant and deliver it efficiently to distant cities, making a significant contribution to solving the climate crisis.

It’s no wonder, then, that when not one, but two such materials were discovered last year, the world of physics went into a frenzy. In March 2023, researchers reported a material known as “red matter” that could allegedly do the trick at 21°C (70°F), but only at incredible pressures. A few weeks later, it was learned that another substance called LK-99 apparently worked at room temperature and pressure. Alas, not all that glitters is gold – both of these claims have now been widely dismissed.

But the hullabaloo surrounding these studies obscures a subtler and more interesting truth: that broader searches for a practical superconductor are making great strides, and there is a sense that the research is finally turning a corner. In recent years, there have been more experimental breakthroughs than one can imagine, as theorists perfect a multitude of methods for predicting the composition of new superconducting materials from scratch. “People my age remember when it was absolutely…