Superconductors carry current with zero resistance because their electrons travel in tight pairs. Most only work near absolute zero, but some copper oxides, called cuprates, superconduct at around -135°C. What makes their electrons pair up was unknown.
A team at the University of Cambridge led by Suchitra Sebastian used strong magnetic fields to switch off superconductivity in cuprates and studied the normal state underneath. They found pockets of electrons created by ripples called charge density waves, and the pockets sit where superconductivity is weakest. The study was published in Nature. Knowing what to look for could speed the search for new superconductors, perhaps even ones that work at room temperature.
via Scientists Finally Unlock The Secrets Behind Superconductivity | IFLScience