The Studies Show Podcast
The Studies Show
Episode 7: The LK-99 superconductor, and other physics false dawns
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Episode 7: The LK-99 superconductor, and other physics false dawns

The internet went nuts for the "room-temperature superconductor". Alas, it was nonsense
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If you were anywhere near social media at the start of August, you’ll have seen endless claims of a massive, world-changing breakthrough in physics: the LK-99 room-temperature superconductor.

In this episode, Tom and Stuart—neither of them anything approaching a physicist, so caveat emptor—discuss what a superconductor is, why it would be exciting (or not) for it to work at room temperature, and ask why people online got so excited over claims that one had been discovered… when it actually hadn’t.

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Show Notes

Credits

The Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions.

Discussion about this podcast

The Studies Show Podcast
The Studies Show
A weekly podcast about the latest scientific controversies, with Tom Chivers and Stuart Ritchie