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Agariculture t1_iw3u9qo wrote

I was wondering how a planet could be superconducting; then i realized it was the metal. Nice

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justhereforass2 t1_iw44h5j wrote

Was hoping for a brief summary in the title after the bold claim

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Scubagerber t1_iw52rcg wrote

Also mercury glows when you spin it, really probably only scratching the surface with it.

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pexx421 t1_iw5tyd2 wrote

It was used in the engines of the vimana, apparently, so we surely have yet to unlock its gravity defying secrets.

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PluCKy-Voco t1_iw5x0sk wrote

What wonders will the adeptus mechanicus gift us with next?? All glory to the emperor!!!

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x1uo3yd t1_iwcg71v wrote

TL;DR - Mercury has long been considered a "conventional superconductor" due to having Cooper pair interactions, etc. but the basic DFT models that usually predict critical-temperature for those kinds of superconductors have trouble making good predictions for Mercury. Now, using more complex modern DFT models, they're able to get a critical-temperature prediction from the theory that matches reality to within 2.5%, as well as pinpoint which aspects of Mercury throw-off the basic stripped-down models.

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