Scientists have demonstrated a powerful new way to search for one of physics’ biggest prizes: practical superconductors. An international team of researchers has demonstrated a new way to discover superconductors much faster by combining machine learning with advanced quantum physics. The approach allows scientists to sift through an almost limitless number of possible material combinations and pinpoint the most promising candidates for superconductivity. The breakthrough, led by the SuperC consortium, has already resulted in the discovery of two new superconducting materials. According to Aalto University Professor Päivi Törmä, who leads the collaboration, the method could significantly accelerate the search for new superconductors. Superconductors can carry electricity with zero electrical resistance because of a quantum effect that appears only at extremely low temperatures. They are essential for technologies including quantum computers, MRI and other neuroimaging systems, fusion reactors, and high-speed maglev trains. Finding new superconductors, however, is extraordinarily difficult. Nearly endless combinations of chemical elements are theoretically possible, but only a tiny fraction exhibit superconductivity. Even those that have already been discovered require expensive cooling systems to reach temperatures close to absolute zero before they can function. Researchers around the world are pursuing an even bigger goal: finding a practical superconductor that works at room temperature. “Superconductive materials that can operate at room temperature would forever change the way we consume energy,” explains Törmä. “If such a material could replace regular conductors in applications like computers and data centers, global energy consumption could be slashed and the heat footprint of the ICT sector vastly reduced.” AI and Quantum Physics Join Forces The SuperC consortium was established in 2023 by Professor Törmä and an international group of leading physicists with the goal of using quantum physics to help address climate change. It is the first coordinated global collaboration dedicated to discovering new