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1911: The Discovery of Superconductivity.
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1911: The Discovery of Superconductivity Kamerlingh-Onnes measured the electrical conductivity of pure metals such as mercury, tin and lead. Before Kamerlingh-Onnes’ observation of superconductivity, it was disputed whether or not resistance went to infinity or to zero when temperature of a conductor was going to zero. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1913 for his discovery. His work paved the way for many studies and applications in the future. Superconductivity had its first practical application in 1954 with the invention of the cryotron. It is today used in devices such as SQUIDS (superconducting quantum interference devices), and superconducting electromagnets. Today, superconductivity is the basis for a large amount of research. Onnes shows that below 4.2K, the resistance of mercury miraculously drops to zero! The metal, in a superconductive state, also exhibits the expulsion of magnetic fields. Heike Kamerlingh-Onnes 1853-1926