Earlier quoted context omitted.
The actual picture of (poor) levitation in the paper you linked is pretty compelling. This isn’t a complex, noisy measurement showing something that’s related to superconductivity — this is a magnet and a supposed superconductor repelling each other. As far as I know, that’s possible with permanent magnets (and it would be weird, but not impossible, if the group instead synthesized a novel ferromagnet and didn’t noti…
Their other data doesn't line up with ferromagnetism, though. It's either the real thing or a big fraud. Guess we'll find out soon enough. ETA: the video referenced is apparently available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtVjGWpbE7k . Interestingly, posted on Feb 26, 2023.
Copper and a magnet can certainly interact. Drop a magnet through a copper pipe and the eddy currents will induce a field that's opposed to the magnet causing a damping effect. Maybe something like this is going on where movement of the magnetic field is inducing an opposed magnetic field in the copper, and thus interacting.
Anyhow it will be interesting. if It can generate a field of 1.5-2 Tesla you could have more efficient solenoids and probably motors.