Graham P. Collins

An iron key to high-temperature superconductivity?

The article discusses high-temperature superconductivity and the discovery of compounds known as iron pnictides that can produce temperatures exceeding absolute zero. Conventional superconductors use copper oxide or cuprate as a coolant, but their use has been difficult to adapt to industrial applications. Topics include a brief overview of cuprates, how the study of pnictides has enabled scientists to understand how cuprates work, which could result in the creation of a room-temperature superconductor, and an in-depth examination of the importance of temperature in superconductivity. Japanese scientist Hideo Hosono and colleagues doping research, the quanta of sound, and a brief overview of BCS theory of superconductivity is presented. INSETS: What Makes a Conductor Super;IMPORTANCE OF TEMPERATURE;LEVITATION;Another Iron in the Fire

A hint of axions.

The article reports on axions. They contribute to the dark matter that constitutes 22 percent of the universe. Axions produced during the big bang could still be present. According to a paper published in March, 2006, axions produced in the laboratory may have been detected for the first time. They are difficult to detect because of their very low mass and because they are electrically neutral and only interact partially with other particles. INSET: SAVING A SYMMETRY.