Comments on: Superconductor World Record Surpasses 250K

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:42:05 +0000

Oh yeah. Here’s a profile of the guy who runs superconductors.org. (Joe Eck)
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/view_profile.php?userid=4422
What it says is hilarious. I think we can safely put this guy in the crank category. Here’s the excerpt.

(Quote)I’m a 50-something electronics engineer and inventor. I also host a science/education website on superconductors.

Since outer space is full of superconducting elements and compounds, I think they could help explain the increasing expansion rate of the universe (through strong diamagnetism).

I think there is a strong possibility of extraterrestrial life based on a passage in the Bible. The Lord talks about gathering His creation from the ends of the Universe.(End Quote)

By: John Novak

John Novak — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:23:16 +0000

Far be it from me to dissuade or discourage the amateurs and hobbyists of the world, JoSH. Seriously.

But the degree to which I’ve seen this particular hobbyist taken seriously– not just by you, but by Brian Wang and a host of others– is very disturbing. Eck is releasing this as a “world record,” and everyone else is running with it as though it’s a proven thing.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:18 +0000

The superconductor.org site seems extremely suspect. I like brian wang’s blog next big future, but sometimes he posts stuff that doesn’t have a lot of support from the scientific community (Dwave quantum computer being a prime example). I’m assuming that’s where you got the story from.

By: J. Storrs Hall

J. Storrs Hall — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:37:57 +0000

Eck seems to be reasonably well regarded as an educational resource, but on further investigation this is clearly personal research and the line in the Wikipedia entry: “tiny signals suggestive of superconductivity above 200 K in cuprate compounds” is about the right characterization. Looking at his page it’s clear he expects people to try to replicate, but no one has so far.

The “tiny signals”, though — the graph jumps at 254-258K he shows — are indications that that someone ought to try, at least. I’m fairly certain that we haven’t seen the last word in superconductivity and won’t until we can actually go in and build the molecular structures exactly the way we want.

In my opinion the world needs a lot more people like Joe Eck.

By: John Novak

John Novak — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:31:12 +0000

Okay, Tim, that explains why Joe Eck believes that Joe Eck is an authoritative resource on superconductors. It does not explain why I should take him seriously.

It also implies that the work reported here is not taken from any journal, with any form of peer review at all, and has not been replicated anywhere by any outside group.

What exactly am I missing, here?

Why is everyone taking this guy seriously when, as far as I can tell, there is no more proof behind his assertions than a noisy graph I could make with Excel?

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:16:59 +0000

This is very good news if it is true and for real. Society needs superconductors for greater energy efficiency and transmission. I also envision applications in nanotechnology, for example, new ways to power nanomachines, nanomachines that are in some ways more durable and allow new variations in their structure than some designs, novel new materials, and new ways to manipulat electromagnetism, to name a few.

It is not a room temperature super conductor but it is far better, if real, than the liquid nitrogen and liquid helium versions.

By: And Superconductors Get Just A Bit Warmer… « Tai-Chi Policy

And Superconductors Get Just A Bit Warmer… « Tai-Chi Policy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:58:01 +0000

[...] 13, 2009 Posted by taoist in Cool Stuff. Tags: Science, Superconductors, Technology trackback You could actually keep this one in your freezer. [...]

By: Tim Tyler

Tim Tyler — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:05:37 +0000

Joe’s details: http://www.superconductors.org/author.htm

By: Toma Susi

Toma Susi — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:45:49 +0000

Actually, the only publication at all that I can find is this:
http://www.google.fi/patents?hl=fi&lr=&vid=USPAT5563776&id=HJkaAAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=%22E.+Joe+Eck%22&printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q=%22E.%20Joe%20Eck%22&f=false

By: Toma Susi

Toma Susi — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:43:45 +0000

Yeah, what the hell? I can find no publications related to superconductivity by him. By all looks this is a classic charlatan/nutcase, I’m pretty disappointed that you would fall to quoting such a source..