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I guess that most of these are a science journalism thing: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd051809s.gif http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd051

I guess that most of these are a science journalism thing: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd051809s.gif http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive/phd051809s.gif For example, there was news recently about a breakthrough discovery of a -70C superconductor. The media spun it as if loss-free electricity transport and maglev trains are just around the corner. But in reality, this material (Hydrogen Sulfide) required 2 million atmospheres of pressure for superconducting at this temperature. No conspiracy or lack of funding is behind the lack of practical applications, in this case it is just utterly unfeasible outside of a laboratory. But even if the material will never make it to the market, it's still a scientific breakthrough that will give scientists new understanding of how the processes work, and perhaps lead to other discoveries with more practical applications in 2, 20 or 200 years.

rdudek 11y ago
But a -70C superconductor could theoretically be used in space environment where the temperatures are even colder, no?
- pikeymick 11y ago
  You still have to reproduce the immense pressure.
- science4sail 11y ago
  Space is "cold", but the problem is that it's hard to get rid of waste heat in space since you aren't surrounding by a heat-carrying fluid (air). Therefore a -70c superconductor would still require a large cooling apparatus to function properly.
  - dghughes 11y ago
    Yeah that threw me too when I thought the same thing I never thought about how difficult it would be to get rid of heat in space I figured just let it go out into space not thinking there isn't anything to send the heat into; no medium. NASA has a nice info page about it: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast21mar_1/ http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/as...
    - logfromblammo 11y ago
      Basically, there's no convection, so the only way to dump heat is by radiation. And since a radiator absorbs as well as it emits, you need to create a shade with reflective material and point a directional radiator in its shadow at the emptiest space you can see. So sure, superconductors could be really cold in space, but if their solar shade or thermal control system fails, they are suddenly really hot.
  - blacksmith_tb 11y ago
    But waste heat is a valuable resource, thermoelectric generators could turn it into electricity, for example.
    - science4sail 11y ago
      Yeah, you still need to get rid of the heat eventually. For example, thermoelectric generators depend on a temperature gradient to function, but you can't maintain a gradient without some kind of heat sink that draws heat away from the "cold" side.
  - mkr-hn 11y ago
    That still sounds useful for something like a moon-based spaceport where they can drill heat sinks into the ground. Maglev catapults would help cut the amount of fuel they need to transport or produce.
selimthegrim 11y ago
A good battery specific coverage of this was http://www.amazon.com/The-Powerhouse-Inside-Invention-Battery/dp/0670025844 http://www.amazon.com/The-Powerhouse-Inside-Invention-Batter...

rdudek 11y ago

But a -70C superconductor could theoretically be used in space environment where the temperatures are even colder, no?

pikeymick 11y ago
You still have to reproduce the immense pressure.
science4sail 11y ago
Space is "cold", but the problem is that it's hard to get rid of waste heat in space since you aren't surrounding by a heat-carrying fluid (air). Therefore a -70c superconductor would still require a large cooling apparatus to function properly.
- dghughes 11y ago
  Yeah that threw me too when I thought the same thing I never thought about how difficult it would be to get rid of heat in space I figured just let it go out into space not thinking there isn't anything to send the heat into; no medium. NASA has a nice info page about it: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/ast21mar_1/ http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2001/as...
  - logfromblammo 11y ago
    Basically, there's no convection, so the only way to dump heat is by radiation. And since a radiator absorbs as well as it emits, you need to create a shade with reflective material and point a directional radiator in its shadow at the emptiest space you can see. So sure, superconductors could be really cold in space, but if their solar shade or thermal control system fails, they are suddenly really hot.
- blacksmith_tb 11y ago
  But waste heat is a valuable resource, thermoelectric generators could turn it into electricity, for example.
  - science4sail 11y ago
    Yeah, you still need to get rid of the heat eventually. For example, thermoelectric generators depend on a temperature gradient to function, but you can't maintain a gradient without some kind of heat sink that draws heat away from the "cold" side.
- mkr-hn 11y ago
  That still sounds useful for something like a moon-based spaceport where they can drill heat sinks into the ground. Maglev catapults would help cut the amount of fuel they need to transport or produce.

selimthegrim 11y ago

A good battery specific coverage of this was http://www.amazon.com/The-Powerhouse-Inside-Invention-Battery/dp/0670025844 http://www.amazon.com/The-Powerhouse-Inside-Invention-Batter...