Is there any HN effect by which enough contrary early opinion here could increase the odds of eventual triumph?
On the chance that there is, I will do my part:
In mice.
LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
21–30 of 659 posts
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#22Been following this very closely. Seems like the one takeaway is that whatever material this is, it's interesting. It's also difficult to synthesize in bulk, which is a shame because superconductivity is not easy to observe in non-bulk materials (think: powder). Note: I have a physics degree and a little bit of condensed matter experience, but nothing like anyone actually working in the field. Just some graduate cour…
Assuming LK99 is legitimate, my hope is that the principles that make it work are more broadly applicable - and with that, refined production processes or newer alloys can be found. Simply knowing that it's possible would lead to a huge amount of research immediately focusing on this kind of thing. There's nothing more revolutionary than a discovery of a new class of materials. After all, we often name eras throughou…
> There's nothing more revolutionary than a discovery of a new class of materials. After all, we often name eras throughout our history after them :) (Stone age, etc)
I wonder what was involved in the discovery of stone.
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#23Iris Alexandra's twitter is especially enthralling. Seems like so much discoveries and innovation happens from computer science to physics, chemistry and biology all from people with anime profile pictures.
> anime profile pictures
Either that or furry ones. Amusing apparent correlation.
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#24This live crowdsourced approach is a far better way to test and refine hypotheses than peer review and the current state of science journals.
requires a really significant result in order to demand widespread effort in to replicate.
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#25Iris Alexandra's twitter is especially enthralling. Seems like so much discoveries and innovation happens from computer science to physics, chemistry and biology all from people with anime profile pictures.
Highlighting this tweet in particular:
> Here's a chunk of pyrolytic graphite on the same magnet with the same stick. Even with less density and more surface normal to field.... It doesn't lift off. If it's diamagnetism it's a fucking absurdly strong one
https://twitter.com/iris_IGB/status/1685804254718459904
Her findings, and suggestions of manufacturing process improvements, are very interesting.
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#26Iris Alexandra's twitter is especially enthralling. Seems like so much discoveries and innovation happens from computer science to physics, chemistry and biology all from people with anime profile pictures.
There's a certain subset of people on the intersection of high IQ, high-functioning ASD and LGBT that produces a lot of high impact activity in STEM fields.
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#27Could this be the new 4 minute mile? Will [humanity] evacuate on ourselves? Whatever this may be, it’s exciting.
I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but to “evacuate on ourselves” means to shit ourselves.
That is exactly what I intended to say.
Everyone thought the 4 minute mile was impossible, until it was done, and then everyone started doing it. Had Roger Bannister had a cardiac arrest and evacuated on himself, people would have stopped trying for it.
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#28Been following this very closely. Seems like the one takeaway is that whatever material this is, it's interesting. It's also difficult to synthesize in bulk, which is a shame because superconductivity is not easy to observe in non-bulk materials (think: powder). Note: I have a physics degree and a little bit of condensed matter experience, but nothing like anyone actually working in the field. Just some graduate cour…
Why is it hard to make in bulk? I thought the chemicals were easy and cheap to obtain, and then you bake it at a high temp? What makes it difficult?
[deleted]
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Assuming LK99 is legitimate, my hope is that the principles that make it work are more broadly applicable - and with that, refined production processes or newer alloys can be found. Simply knowing that it's possible would lead to a huge amount of research immediately focusing on this kind of thing. There's nothing more revolutionary than a discovery of a new class of materials. After all, we often name eras throughou…
> There's nothing more revolutionary than a discovery of a new class of materials. After all, we often name eras throughout our history after them :) (Stone age, etc) I wonder what was involved in the discovery of stone.
Evolution of enough intelligence to use stone as a club, or make an edge on flint for cutting?
Re: LK-99: The live online race for a room-temperature superconductor
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Assuming LK99 is legitimate, my hope is that the principles that make it work are more broadly applicable - and with that, refined production processes or newer alloys can be found. Simply knowing that it's possible would lead to a huge amount of research immediately focusing on this kind of thing. There's nothing more revolutionary than a discovery of a new class of materials. After all, we often name eras throughou…
> There's nothing more revolutionary than a discovery of a new class of materials. After all, we often name eras throughout our history after them :) (Stone age, etc) I wonder what was involved in the discovery of stone.
A rigorous peer review by graduate students.