)Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve explored the question of just how long it takes to earn a Nobel prize (and the implications for representation). This week I want to take up a similar theme from a different angle. One of the big headlines recently was the announcement of a room temperature superconductor (a cool room, but within the range of normal HVAC). Superconductors transmit electricity with minimal resistance, which means little energy is lost to heat and efficiency is thus high. Superconductors can also be used to generate powerful magnetic fields like the sort in MRI machines. Current commercial superconductors require very cold temperatures–liquid helium cold–which adds to the cost of an MRI and makes them dependent on our limited helium resources. A room temperature superconductor could simplify MRI technology and remove that dependency, as well as improving efficiency of power transmission and yielding other significant benefits.
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Mark Hansard continues his series on the Fruit of the Spirit in academia. Find 
