Radioactive Superconductors
 

Scientists at MIT have created the world’s first radioactive superconductor--a paradox which has left many in the scientific community scratching their heads in confusion.

In the first stage of production, a unique blend of eleven radioactive substances are slowly introduced into a sealed chamber, where they display a natural aversion to sharing the same space with their unstable cousins. Next, high pressure is applied to the chamber, forcing their outbursts of subatomic particles to become entangled. The compression of the substances creates a condition of extreme heat and dangerous instability, which is then quickly reversed with a new high speed flash-freezing process. The resulting snapshot of radioactive chaos is instantaneously subjected to an intense electromagnetic field, polarizing the entangled particles into a functional magnetic circuit.

What happens next is something that nobody expected. When the materials are brought back up to a temperature just slightly above absolute zero, the sloughing off of radioactive particles resumes, but with a twist--the circuit retains its closed state, although nobody is quite sure how this is possible. It is this unique property that is leading some to believe that these so-called “radioactive semiconductors” are the missing link needed to create fully functional quantum computers.

The substance, dubbed Obtanium, is under consideration to be included as a new element on the periodic chart, although it will be difficult to classify due to its non-specific nature. Proponents of Obtanium research are expressing outrage over rumours that the US Military is planning to deploy Obtanium-tipped artillery shells in the Iraq conflict.

Sorry, forgot to embed the link.

I'm not sure they've done a very good job of explaining this.

This is so exciting! I've been following (though with very little actual understanding lol) the drive towards quantum computers with great interest.

Uh.. I thought it was "Bobtanium"? Because one of the main scientists was named Robert.

Superconductor's unstable cousin.

They seem to have moved the page.

Maybe because the "powers that be" don't want us to know about this? This could change everything.

Very interesting. I'm wondering how the substances were decided upon, and why the experiment was done in the first place.

For shits and giggles? :P

That's what they put on their Grant application.

I guess I lack foresight. The only application for this that came to my mind was glow in the dark icecubes to make your drink easier to find.

This has been bugging me since I read it the first time.


Flint, is this some kind of an April fools joke, only it's not April? Obtanium? A flash freeze process to absolute zero? This has got to be a joke.

It's Bobtanium, I tell you!!

I am a bit sceptical about some of what is described here - especially "are brought back up to a temperature just slightly above absolute zero". Brought BACK UP to SLIGHTLY above ABSOLUTE ZERO??? Where was it before?
On the other hand, there is some crazy stuff that actually happens when you push known materials into extreme conditions. Could be.

But "radioactive superconductors" would be a cool band name.

Like I said, I think the staff writer here sort of fumbled explaining this. Maybe the editor, I don't know. But it's still exciting news for all the science geeks out there.