/sci/ - Science & Math

Hard to say... how cheap is it?

Cheaper eletricity.

We'd have an efficient electrical grid. A power plant in New York could power Seattle.

Could mean insanely fast computers since you don't have to worry about them overheating anymore.

Anything that already uses superconductors becomes much cheaper.

Permanent electromagnets.. Strong as fuck.

It would mean a VASTLY increased efficiency of our power distribution network. So much energy is lost during transmission, it's incredible. You could then feasibly have all of the sahara covered in solar panels and have it power the opposite side of the globe. Dope maglev trains, etc. Lots of good things.

>Room-temperature superconductivity
>We're not in Kansas anymore

FUCKING RAILGUNS

>>1462339
Anyways, it's hard to say what the result would be. New technology will pop up, but this is kind of like trying to imagine the internet before global communications.

electric cars running on cell phone batteries

how long till we find some?

fucked up clubbing experiences where everyone gets to literally float.
Skynet takes over?

I think its not a question of if, its a question of when.

Its a material science question rather than a physics question.

Let me give you an example, years ago they thought that carbon (Graphite) was the material with the highest melting point. Then they discovered how to make Tantalum Hafinium Carbide which melts at nearly a thousand degrees hotter than graphite.

I think that finding a suitable material to make a room temp semiconductor may just happen within our lifetimes, its just a case of tinkering around with the right composition!

Perhaps there is a physical chemistry mathematical equation?

>>1462359
Maybe never, maybe 40 years.

I think the best we've got right now is something like a -60 celsius superconductor. But these tend to be one-off experiments that usually can't be applied to anything.

>>1462369
>Perhaps there is a physical chemistry mathematical equation?

I'm pretty sure that's what the current experimentation is trying to find. I'm not sure if we really understand *why* superconductors work yet.

As far as I'm aware, we're basically just sticking different materials together at cold temperatures trying to find ones that superconduct, and then trying to figure out *Why* it superconducts so that we've got a better idea of what materials to make the next superconductor out of.

I wonder if scientists have thought of increasing pressure on their materials. Metallic hydrogen might be a room temperature superconductor, but that requires some pretty insane pressure. Perhaps a different material at a more realistic pressure would work.

>>1462394
>I'm not sure if we really understand *why* superconductors work yet

I thought the opposite was true.

>>1462411

I thought that they mostly worked out the mechanics of superconductors, and found that they had an upper temperature limit.

then not long after someone found a superconductor with a temperature substantially over that limit lol.

>>1462369
Making it is one thing. Making it cheap enough to find practical, widespread use is another.

>>1462419
Yes, but that's how all of science works.

Mag lev baby. Storage of energy in a kinetic form rather than chemical or electrostatic potential.

What exactly IS a superconductor? What makes it so SUPER?

>>1462322
flywheel batteries that could hold gigawattes of stored energy for one

In theory it might even make powered exoskeletons feasible in the field.

>>1462450
It conducts A LOT.

>>1462394

>I'm pretty sure that's what the current experimentation is trying to find. I'm not sure if we really understand *why* superconductors work yet.

It was recently discovered it has to do with the symmetry of the copper and oxygen bonds in the copper oxide at that temperature.

Or some shit like that.

>>1462450
conducts electricity with 0 resistance

>>1462450

Zero electrical resistance

Meta materials will one day provide room temperature super-conductors.

>>1462450

It has little to no resistance. You can have an infinite long wire and the electricity flowing through it will never deplete.

>>1462476
Could make for some interesting batteries, that's for sure.

>>1462480

Well no fucking shit if it wasn't a meta material we would have discovered it already.

If scientists discovered a room temperature superconductive material that was reasonably inexpensive, it would bring about drastic worldwide changes in energy and anything electronic.

In the world of technology and electrical engineering, a room temperature superconductor would, in short, be fucking hacks. It's just that simple - most hardships, drawbacks, etc, in electrical engineering disappear.

>>1462349
>We're not in Kansas anymore

Pretty much sums it up. Room T Superconductivity changes everything.

Most good examples I think have already been mentioned.

One thing to remember is that it doesn't only enable cool things with electronics, but also with magnets. Many dreams of levitating/hovering in all kinds of applications become possible.

Well it's obvious we have to go to Pandora and fill our pockets with Unobtainium, then.

>>1462463
lol perfect explanation

I can see the headline now "Scientists Discover Material That Conducts A LOT of Electricity!"

>>1462356
this true?

>>1462570
Given journalism's track record on reporting science, it is not implausible.

>>1462546
>It's just that simple - most hardships, drawbacks, etc, in electrical engineering disappear.

EE here, I don't even... are you serious? Do you even know what EEs do?

The levitation aspect gives me a massive hardon but that is about it. Makes no fucking difference to me or most other engineers if the power companies can cut transmission losses, and if the trend of current superconductors continues it isn't going to be a ductile material so you won't just be able to wire stuff up with superconductor wire.

>>1462420
This is the deciding question. I read an article a while back where they where hailing a new super conductor as a break through. It had an incredibly low superconductivity point, but only required 3 rather common elements to make, as opposed to the half dozen plus rare elements needed for other conductors.

Don't know if that super conductor went on to do anything spectacular, but there it is.

>>1462614
Don't rain on their parade. If we're really lucky the "the future is gonna be awesome" crowd will morph into transhumanist/singularity gayness and reveal their uneducated fantasizing for what it is without having to consider their retardation for a moment.

>>1462651
Here they come!

>>1462634
I hope you're not going in for a "nothing much will change during the next century" message, 'cuz that shit is mad dumb yo.

>>1462614

Yeah, you deal with the application of ELECTRICITY. You know, that thing that will be drastically affected by the discovery of a room temp superconductor.

Of course, it's the faggot engineer that doesn't understand; typical.

>>1462654
Oh U.

Don't misunderstand, I don't believe in some sort of quasi-religious "singularity" bullshit. I'm simply saying that SOMETHING significant to every-day life will change in the next century, which some morons seem to disagree with. I've heard people talking like we'll all still have people typing away at their computers powered by fossil-fueled electrical stations bitching about child movie stars put out by Disney, and not a single disease will have been cured.

THAT'S the mad stupid shit and you're mad stupid if you believe in it.

>>1462651
this
i mean, singularity isn't tomorrow but i'd be really confused if it didn't drop this century.

>>1462649
>hurr electrical engineering has electrical in its name and superconductor = more electricity = better everything hurr
2/10

Primer the movie

FUCKING SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS
how do they work?

>>1463853
http://www.wisegeek.com/how-does-a-superconductor-work.htm

>>1463238
your mom is a whore

i´m bumping this thread because it has potential

>>1462322
You wont have to use HDD anymore everything would be downloaded from internet instantly.

Thing is, there are plenty of "warm" (maybe not room warm but still) superconductors.

They just have almost 0 current capacity before the superconductivity breaks down.

that would be awesome, but it defies the whole work and force laws of physics and shit like that, so i dont think its possible, maybe if we tried to inhabit a planet with extra cold climates, then we could use the superconducters to generate radiowaves to communicate with earth, but it would require less power

flying disks UFO style

>>noone will ever need more than 512 kB RAM
>>artificial flight is impossible
>>derp derp
for evidence suggesting it is possible, just consider the recent advances in topological insulators.