Explain Like I'm Five

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ELI5: Why is the recent LK-99 superconductor news a big deal? (self.explainlikeimfive)

submitted 1 year ago by AlmightySnoo to c/explainlikeimfive

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Why is the recent news around the LK-99 room-temperature superconductor such a big deal? What material impact would those findings have on electronics and modern technology?

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[–] Tarball 7 points 1 year ago

Superconductors can transmit energy with no loss. However current superconductors require very low temps.

Room temp superconductors would open the door to much more efficient transmission of electricity in everything from the electric grid to your home computer.

Now whether the LK-99 can be replicated reliably, verified to be superconducting and what the properties of LK-99 would be at scale would dictate how it could be used (is it malleable? does it wear? are there things that cause it to lose its superconductive properties?).