Some background: there were two Chinese teams publicly pursuing LK-99-derived room temperature superconductor, which I arbitrarily named "north China team" and "south China team". North China team was headed by Hongyang Wang (who lives in Beijing) and south China team was headed by Yao Yao (who lives in Guangzhou). They used different synthesis and different analysis, i.e. north China team used hydrothermal synthesis and used SQUID measurement, while south China team used solid state synthesis and used EPR measurement.<p>This is a joint paper of both teams. They reproduced results of each other (this is unclear in the paper, but stated in their behind-the-scene posts) and measured a clear sign of superconductivity. It is "near room temperature", because they are sure about 250 K (hence "near"), but not sure about 300 K. As for "possible", the behind-the-scene post makes it clear it is false modesty.<p>If you are interested, you definitely want to read behind-the-scene posts. Read them here: <a href="https://www.zhihu.com/question/637763289" rel="nofollow">https://www.zhihu.com/question/637763289</a> (they are in Chinese). Hongyang Wang is 真可爱呆 and Yao Yao is 洗芝溪.
Link to a picture of a sample floating beneath a magnet: <a href="https://nitter.net/pronounced_kyle/status/1742725029450916111#m" rel="nofollow">https://nitter.net/pronounced_kyle/status/174272502945091611...</a>
Having followed the LK99 saga a bit it seems the visual appearance of the proper Meissner effect floating above the magnet and holding in a different position if you prod it (<a href="https://youtu.be/F9ukYM4cSOk?t=11" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/F9ukYM4cSOk?t=11</a>) looks very different to the diamagnetic stuff LK99 did - one end touching the magnet and wobbling a bit.<p>Until they show a video looking like the above count my skepical.
250K is -23.15°C. I happened to search Moscow weather today and it's -23°C ~ -26°C.<p>So not quite room temperature but it's outside temperature in some cities.
Interview with the lead author of the paper:
<a href="https://sciencecast.org/casts/u1mlp8tkn7w4" rel="nofollow">https://sciencecast.org/casts/u1mlp8tkn7w4</a>
There’s a good sciencecast discussion of this pre-print with one of the authors and a couple other physicists including Victor Galitski at UMD<p><a href="https://sciencecast.org/casts/u1mlp8tkn7w4" rel="nofollow">https://sciencecast.org/casts/u1mlp8tkn7w4</a>
Christ. 2024 really coming in hot, we get a 7.6 magnitude earthquake on day 1, bombings killing over 100 people on day 2, and this shit again on day 3.
Ice broke last year … this may not be the one, nor maybe the next dozen materials but seems like we are on the right glide path now.<p><crosses fingers>
So they've possibly discovered a material wlthat may have a property that could be indicative of superconductivity at room temperature? It's a shame I don't have any popcorn handy.<p>I do however appreciate their dedication to not putting the word superconductor in the title.
The skepticism is laudable. The pessimism is laughable. The hindsight is predictable.<p>In the skies, they streak, these UAPs, so sleek,
A dance of lights, TR-3B secrets they keep.
At the edge of science, a silent peak,
Superconductivity at psyop strength, not for the meek.<p>Whispers of tech, beyond our grasp, a sign,
In the shadow of stars, conspiracies align.
Truth obscured, in a skeptic's design,
But in hindsight's glow, the patterns entwine.