Third room temperature superconductivity paper retracted as group’s claims lie in tatters

Superconductor

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Accusations of data manipulation and misconduct now dog the US team that made what appeared to be astounding discoveries

A group’s claims surrounding a potential room-temperature superconductor have collapsed after a third high-profile paper was retracted amid allegations of data manipulation and scientific misconduct.

A superconductor is a material that offers no electrical resistance. In theory, a room temperature superconductor would allow a host of technologies including magnetic levitation trains, efficient electrical grids and quantum computers. However, until recently superconductivity had only been recorded with materials at far colder temperatures below 150K.