New technique probes crucial magnetic effects in
custom-grown nanoscale material
As electricity travels from power plants and into homes, a
large amount of the initial energy dissipates as heat along the way. This
inefficiency comes from a resistance to current inherent to the metallic cables
used to deliver the electricity. High-temperature superconductors, however,
manage to transmit energy without loss, providing a potential conduit for
efficient and inexpensive power distribution all over the globe.