Steps just one atom high can steer tiny whirlpools inside special materials
FutureFrom: ScienceDaily · rewritten for kids by Osmo
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Some materials can carry electricity perfectly when they are very cold. Scientists in Japan found tiny steps inside them. The steps work like train tracks for little swirls.
Big word
superconductor: A material that, when very cold, lets electricity flow through it without losing any energy.
Quiz time: circle the right answer
1. What did the one-atom-high steps act like?ARailway tracksBWallsCMirrors
2. What can superconductors do when they are very cold?ACarry electricity without losing energyBMake lightCFreeze water instantly
3. How much more easily did the swirls move along the steps?AMore than 1,000 timesB2 timesC10 times
Your turn
Draw a railway track and a little whirlpool riding along it. Write one thing you would build if electricity never got wasted.
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