Before anyone opens the champers the work is yet to be peer-reviewed  but if they have pulled it off it would be significant.

The boffins claim to have succeeded in synthesising the room-temperature superconductor working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure.

To quote the document (because frankly, it made our head spin): “The superconductivity of LK-99 is proved with the Critical temperature (TC), Zero-resistivity, Critical current (IC), Critical magnetic field (HC), and the Meissner effect. The superconductivity of LK-99 originates from minute structural distortion by a slight volume shrinkage (0.48 per cent), not by external factors such as temperature and pressure.

The shrinkage is caused by Cu2+ substitution of Pb2+(2) ions in the insulating network of Pb(2)-phosphate and it generates stress. It concurrently transfers to Pb(1) of the cylindrical column resulting in distortion of the cylindrical column interface, which creates superconducting quantum wells (SQWs) in the interface.

The heat capacity results indicated that the new model is suitable for explaining the superconductivity of LK-99. The unique structure of LK-99 that allows the minute distorted structure to be maintained in the interfaces is the most important factor that LK-99 maintains and exhibits superconductivity at room temperatures and ambient pressure.”

So good luck Fudzilla readers duplicating that experiment, let us know how you get on.